Having Your Tonsils Taken Out

What Are Tonsils?

Your tonsils are two lumps of tissue in the back of your throat that work as germ fighters for your body. The trouble is that sometimes germs like to hang out there, where they cause infections. In other words, instead of fighting infections, the tonsils become infected.

What Is a Tonsillectomy?

Have you ever had tonsillitis? That's when your tonsils get sore and infected. If tonsillitis happens to you a lot, the doctor may suggest you have an operation to remove your tonsils. Or maybe you have really large tonsils that make it hard for you to breathe at night. That's another reason the doctor may say they should come out.

The surgery to remove tonsils is called a tonsillectomy (say: tahn-suh-LEK-tuh-mee).

After this operation, kids usually don't have as many sore throats. And, if they were having trouble breathing at night, that problem goes away too.

But how do doctors get the tonsils out of your throat? Will it hurt? And what exactly do tonsils do back there? Let's find out.

Before the Tonsillectomy

The night before surgery, you won't be allowed to eat or drink anything after dinner — not even water. That's because your stomach must be empty for surgery.