The main difference between adenoid and tonsil is that an adenoid is a tissue clump located above the roof of the mouth, behind the nasal cavity, whereas the tonsil is a small, round piece of tissue located on both sides of the throat in the back of the mouth.
Adenoid and tonsil are two tissue types that fight against infections becoming enlarged.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Adenoid
– Definition, Structure, Function
2. What is Tonsil
– Definition, Structure, Function
3. Similarities Between Adenoid and Tonsil
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Adenoid and Tonsil
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Adenoid, Tonsil
What is Adenoid
An adenoid is a gland that is located in the upper airways, behind the nasal cavity. It is a part of both lymphatic and immune system. Also, it fights against germs that enter the mouth and nose during breathing. White blood cells travel through adenoids, trapping germs. Additionally, adenoids sit above the soft palate directly behind the nasal passage. They appear as a pink patch of soft tissues. It can be described as “cauliflower-like.” The average size of the normal adenoid is 6.2 mm. When enlarged, the adenoid can be around 11.6 mm in length. It can be enlarged due to infections, irritants, or allergies.
Figure 1: Enlarged Adenoid
Furthermore, adenoids are made up of lymphoid tissue, consisting of connective tissue, white blood cells, especially lymphocytes. The enlargement of adenoids is common in frequent ear infections, upper respiratory infections, recurring nosebleeds, and allergies. They cause sore throat, nasal congestion, illness in the ear, mouth breathing, trouble sleeping, snoring, and obstructive sleep apnea. Importantly, adenoids grow to their maximum size between 3-5 years. But they start shrinking by age 7-8. They are completely disappeared in adults.
What is Tonsil
A tonsil is a set of lymphoid organs facing the aerodigestive tract. The tonsils system contains adenoid tonsils, two palatine tonsils, two tubal tonsils, and the lingual tonsils. Tonsils occur as a round, fleshy mass in the back of the throat. They resemble lymph nodes that fight against infections. When infected, tonsils become red and swollen. Also, they contain many white blood cells to fight against germs. They are the oval-shaped, pinkish mounds on each side of the throat. Normal tonsils are pink in color, while when infected, they appear red. The average size of the tonsil is 42.81 cm3. Tonsils in males are bigger than those in females.
Figure 2: Tonsil
Moreover, tonsillitis is an infection in the tonsils. Swollen tonsils and sore throat and s are the symptoms of tonsillitis. Other conditions of the tonsils include strep throat, tonsil stones, peritonsillar abscesses, mononucleosis, enlarged tonsils, and tonsil cancer.
Similarities Between Adenoid and Tonsil
- Adenoid and tissue are two tissue types that fight against infections.
- They enlarge to fight against infections.
Difference Between Adenoid and Tonsil
Definition
Adenoid refers to a mass of enlarged lymphatic tissue often hindering speaking and breathing in young children, occurring between the back of the nose and the throat. In contrast, tonsil refers to either of two small masses of lymphoid tissue in the throat, one on each side of the root of the tongue.
Occurrence
The adenoid is a tissue clump located behind the nasal cavity above the roof of the mouth, while the tonsil is a small, round piece of tissue located in the back of the mouth on both sides of the throat.
Type of Epithelium
The Adenoid contains ciliated columnar epithelium, while the tonsil contains non-keratinizing squamous epithelium.
Capsule
The Adenoid has no capsule, while the tonsil is partly encapsulated.
Structure
The Adenoid contains furrows, while the tonsil contains crypts.
Peak Growth
The peak growth of the adenoid occurs at 6 yrs, while the peak growth of the tonsil occurs at 8 yrs.
Growth Stops
The growth of the adenoid stops at 12 yrs, while the growth of the tonsil stops at 15 yrs.
Conclusion
In brief, the adenoid and tonsil are two body structures that fight against infections. Adenoid is a tissue clump that occurs behind the nasal cavity above the roof of the mouth. It contains ciliated columnar epithelium and no capsule. Also, it contains furrows. In comparison, the tonsil is a small round tissue located in the back of the mouth on both sides of the throat. However, it contains non-keratinized squamous epithelium, and it is partly encapsulated. Also, it contains crypts. Therefore, the main difference between adenoid and tonsil is the structure.
References:
- professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.-a). Adenoids: Location, Definition & Function. Cleveland Clinic.
- Tonsils: Anatomy, definition & function. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.-f).
Image Courtesy:
- “Adenoid hypertrophy” By www.scientificanimations.com – Own work (CC-BY SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
- “Blausen 0861 Tonsils&Throat Anatomy2” By BruceBlaus – Own Work (CC-BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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