Definition

Tonsillitis (pronounced tahn-suh-LIE-tiss) is an infection and swelling of the tonsils. The tonsils are lymph nodes, or oval-shaped masses of lymph gland tissue, located on both sides of the throat that are part of the body immune system.

Description

The tonsils normally help prevent infections in two ways. They act like filters to trap bacteria, viruses, and other materials that enter the body through the mouth and sinuses. They also produce antibodies to help fight off infections. An antibody is a chemical produced by blood cells to fight off specific kinds of foreign bodies, such as bacteria and viruses.

While a person can get tonsillitis at any age, the infection occurs most commonly among children between the ages of five and ten years.

Causes

Tonsillitis is caused by viruses or bacteria that infect the tonsils. They cause the tonsils to become inflamed and swollen. One of the...