Tonsil 411

I just read a blog post from someone who didn't know how to find tonsils. If you too are in doubt, this post is for you.

Way back in your mouth, right before it turns into your throat, there are two arching structures. The ones in front are called your anterior faucial pillars. The ones in back are the posterior faucial pillars. Your tonsils lie in between them. In this picture, your tonsils are #3.

You actually have four tonsil-like structures, four sets of tissue whose job is to alert your immune system to incoming pathogens. The set in your mouth is visible. There's another set hidden on the back of your tongue, a third hanging out around the opening of your Eustachian tubes, and a fourth way up in the back of your nasopharynx (your adenoids). You can see them in this picture, a little ring of protection against pathogens.

Here I am restraining myself from telling you more about the faucial pillars. You're welcome!