Tonsillitis is an infection or inflammation of the tonsils. The tonsils are balls of tissue on either side of your throat, above and behind your tongue. They are part of your immune system, which helps you fight infection.
Last Revised: October 9, 2012
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Charles M. Myer, III, MD - Otolaryngology
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