A tonsillectomy is the removal of your tonsils. Your tonsils are located in the back of your throat. Tonsils are part of your body’s immune system, but removing them does not increase your risk for infection.

Why is a tonsillectomy done?

There are several reasons for a tonsillectomy. The two most common reasons are if:

• Your tonsils are causing difficulty in breathing during sleep. This is often seen as frequent snoring.
• You have throat infections that keep coming back (6 or more times in a year), with infected and swollen tonsils (tonsillitis).

Who gets tonsillectomies?

Although it may seem like only children need to have their tonsils taken out, adults may also benefit from having their tonsils removed.