Tonsillitis

The tonsils are two small lymphoid organs that lie one on each side of the throat. They can be seen just behind the back of the tongue. Normally, they are about the size of a bean but they can become very much larger if severely infected. They protect

the throat against disease germs. When tonsils become sore and swollen they can serve as "barometers" for the body indicating an infection elsewhere in the body. Tonsillitis refer to acute inflammation of the tonsils. The illness occurs primarily in children, but adults are also sometimes affected.