Tonsils, adenoids, and uvula

The tonsils and adenoids are made of lymph tissue in the throat. They help make substances (antibodies) that help the body fight infection. The tonsils can be seen on either side of the throat at the back of the mouth. The adenoids are higher in the throat and usually cannot be seen.

The uvula is the small, fingerlike piece of tissue that hangs down from the soft palate in the back of the throat. It can usually be seen when a person opens his or her mouth wide.