Tonsils mainly include pharyngeal tonsils, palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils and pharyngeal tonsils. Tonsils in daily life mostly refer to palatine tonsils, while adenoids are pharyngeal tonsils. The difference between the two lies in the differences in growth location, morphology, structure and developmental pattern.
1. Palatine tonsillitis: located in the palatoglossal arch on both sides of the oropharynx, palatopharyngeal arch surrounded by the triangular tonsil fossa. It is a pair of flat ovoid lymphatic epithelial organs. 6 ~ 7 years old, often due to inflammatory factors, adverse physical and chemical factors stimulation, as well as immune hyperfunction and hyperplasia, generally after middle age gradually atrophy.
2. Adenoid: It grows at the junction of the parietal wall and the posterior wall of the nasopharynx, and resembles half of a peeled orange. This lymphoid tissue exists after birth, and it will increase significantly at the age of 6-7, and gradually degenerate and atrophy after 10 years of age.
Both are the main part of the pharyngeal lymphatic tissue barrier, which has an important immune function and should be treated aggressively when discomfort occurs.