
The tonsils are a pair of small almond-shaped structures on either side of the throat, just behind and above the tongue. The structures act as a defence against infections that invade the body through the nose and mouth. Tonsils are a part of the body’s protective lymphatic system, which dispatches cells that literally gulp down bacteria. Adenoids are structures located at the back of the nose, above the tonsils. They too help keep away respiratory tract infections.
Occasionally, bacterial infections overwhelm the tonsils. This infection, known as tonsillitis, is often one that children c