Tonsillectomy is the surgical removal of your tonsils. It’s done to treat sleep-related breathing issues or frequent infections. While surgeons perform tonsillectomies less often than they used to, the procedure is still common today. Tonsillectomy recovery takes up to two weeks.

Tonsillectomy (tahn-suh-LEK-tuh-me) is surgery to remove your tonsils. Tonsils are round, fleshy masses in the back of your throat. Unless you’ve had them removed, you have two — one on each side. They’re a part of your immune system.

Sometimes, they can become inflamed and cause painful sore throats. They can swell and block part of your airway. This may make it harder to breathe during sleep.

While adults sometimes need tonsillectomies, it’s more common in children. Your tonsils get bigger during childhood and can shrink as you get older. That’s why children are more likely to need a tonsillectomy.

How do you know if you need a tonsillectomy?

Healthcare providers recommend this surgery for two main reasons:

• To treat breathing-related sleep disorders, like sleep apnea
• To reduce the risk of infection in people with frequent or chronic tonsillitis

Up until the 1980s, providers frequently performed tonsillectomies for tonsillitis. Nowadays, providers do them more often to treat sleep apnea.