Trying to make this short. Does anyone else get those white ball things on their tonsils? I think they are called tonsil stones. Well, I thought I got one last Wednesday after eating a banana (don't know the connection, that was just the timing). I couldn't see it, as the pocket seemed to close over it, if it was there. I kept feeling that irritant on the right side and on Sunday it was a sore throat - at least it hurt on that side when I swallowed, and it was swollen. My voice started to sound really rough and the sore throat turned REALLY painful. I can now feel it in my ear when I swallow too (this is anything from saliva to a meal). In the middle of this, I also had my bad back attack me, and I had an extremely stiff, painful neck, but I don't know if one was related to the other or not. When I look at my right tonsil now, it is really swollen, and I can't see any of those pockets now.
Monday I went to the doctor. He said that it was only on the right side, but would quickly spread to the left (it still hasn't). They did a strep test, that was negative, and did the overnight one too. That is what he thought it was - bye, bye.
Tuesday, I had to call them at 4:30 to get them to call back with the results - negative, let us know if the symptoms persist, and make another appointment. I called on Wednesday for that, but ended up with calls from the nurse telling me to take a decongestant, which I can't take since I am breastfeeding, and I'm not congested, I was finally told to drink fluids and rest, and was then offered a throat numbing thing. Turns out that it is so viscous that I can't get it into the back of my throat to gargle with it.
It is now day 4 of the same level of pain, and there has been no change. Has anyone seen this, heard of it, had any suggestions?
Some responses - I don't know that I have a stone right now. I have had them before and have dislodged them by working my tongue, eating, or just using a toothbrush or something and gagging myself. THIS time, I'm not sure that I have one, and the tonsil has swollen up so much that I would have to be able to dig around in there - not really gonna happen. The stones themselves have never caused this kind of pain before, and never anything with my ear.
Thank you for all your input. I never did figure out what happened, but it started to let up the day after Christmas, and then all of a sudden, the back of my throat looked normal and I could see into that pocket again. I have never had it close up like that before, and NEVER had pain from the stones before. I will definitely be keeping an eye on it if/when I get another.
I had these white things all the time when I was younger. Oddly, I seem to have outgrown them or something. My tonsils were regularly swollen, along with my lymph nodes uder my chin along my jaw bone.
I was never taken to the doctor for it. I don't know that I am any worse off for it - it hasn't happend in many years.
So I guess I am saying I never did anything about it, and it was fine, eventually.
They are tonsil stones.. They are actually waste your body produces.. They are not really harmful, but they can cause bad breath and sometimes sore throats.. You have probably had them before but they were not as big as they are now.. As we age, this is one of the fun things that happens also if you have gained some weight, you may notice more of them..
I get rid of them lightly brush back there.. Some people gargle.. I work them out by opening my mouth wide and very strongly moving my tongue from one side to the other..
They are not harmful.
Here is some information:
The appropriate treatment for a tonsil stone depends upon the size of the tonsillolith and its potential to cause discomfort or medical harm. Various options include:
* No treatment. Many tonsil stones, especially ones that are asymptomatic, require no special treatment.
* At-home removal. Some people choose to dislodge tonsil stones at home with the use of picks or swabs.
* Salt water gargles. Gargling with warm, salty water may help alleviate the discomfort of tonsillitis, which often accompanies tonsil stones.
* Antibiotics. Various antibiotics can be used to treat tonsil stones. While they may be helpful for some people, they cannot correct the basic problem that is causing tonsilloliths. Also, antibiotics can have side effects.
* Surgical removal. When tonsil stones are exceedingly large and symptomatic, it may be necessary for a surgeon to remove them. In certain instances, a doctor will be able to perform this relatively simple procedure using a local numbing agent. Then the person with the tonsil stone will not need general anesthesia.
Personally, I would try gargling with a peroxide & water mixture: 50/50.
You need to see an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist not a regular Dr.
try chloraseptic spray.. it may help. tonsil stones are usually little hard object that gets lodged in your throat from bacteria and food.. plus your breath smells really bad.. it sounds like you have a reg. throat infection.. take tylenol or advil..
They are called tonsiliths...aka tonsil stones. They aren't harmful, but can be associated with frequent infections and bad breath (like REALLY EW breath!) Most people I know with them, if they couldn't control them with salt water gargles and mouthwash, eventually had their tonsils removed. It's the only way to assure you don't get more.
Hope you feel well soon!
It sounds like you have an infection. You should get on antibiotics. You may or may not have a tonsil stone, but that is secondary to the infection. After you treat yourself with antibiotics then you can work on getting that little sucker out of there. I get them to and I put my finger on the side of my mouth and push the back of my throat and I can pop them out of the tonsil I don't really have to touch the tonsil at all. But get ye some antibiotics!!
If they are really causing you that much pain, you should go to an ENT. My now 17 yr. old daughter gets these periodically, and while bothersome, they do not cause her pain. Her pediatrician told her to try to remove them with a toothpick if everything else fails. But definitely try the saltwater gargle most people are recommending, and swish vigorously! In all honesty though, a visit to the ENT (ear,nose & throat) Dr. sounds like it's in order for you...if it's causing pain in your ear as well. Sorry. :(
Tonsilar stones are not waste produced by the body, they are pockets of bacteria and hardend mucus caused by a SINUS INFECTION. The infection will drain down the throat when you sleep. Usually people with tonsillar stones will notice the excessive mucus in their throat area when waking. You can rid yourself of tonsillar stones by inserting a long Qtip high up into the sinus and swabbing it with tea tree oil. ( I then sniff some water so i make sure to get it to go down my throat) swabbing for two or three consecutive nights got rid of mine for good (until you put another infection up there).
Tonsillar stones do cause throat pain but should not be so bad that it feels like strep. Have you checked online for the symptoms of meningitis, which causes neck pain also? It is very invasive for them to test meningitis ( it think its a spinal tap) so they won't do it unless they feel very compelled that you have it (all the symptoms).
Gail
I would ask if antibiotics will help. I try not to take them but if this has been going on for days you need some relief and if it is an infection and not just the tonsil stones, your body is just not kicking it. There should be plenty of antibiotic choices that will be safe for you to take while nursing.
When I had the white stuff on my tonsils I was told to have them removed.I think it was puss. I went to a ear nose and throat dr and he found out what was going on when my reg Dr. didn't do much.
Something to try:
1 to 2 Tablespoon Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup warm water
drizzle of honey
Stir all together and then DOWN IT! Chase with some OJ if you don't want a bad aftertaste. This won't hurt you and just very well may cure you!
It worked for me when I had a really bad sore throat. I had it for 3 or 4 days and it was so bad that I was going to go to the doc the next day. I decided to break down and give this concoction a try. HELPED IMMEDIATELY! I could swallow with very little pain for the first time in days! I did a second dose a half hour later and was CURED!
I am soar throat queen!!! I get this same thing so easy and grew up with getting strep once per month by just looking a someone with strep. It does sound like strep but if each test came back negative the you probably just have a virus and have to wait it out. Here is what I do for soar throats. First, I gargle with warm salt water every hour or so, this helps dislodge those little stones, I alternate Tylenol and Motrin for pain and take it easy. Rest is the best thing for fighting it and of course drinking LOTS of water.
Now the only thing I would be a bit concerned with is the sore neck. Did you mention it to your doc? I would get another appt. and be sure to let them know your neck is sore.
Good luck with you, sore throats are the worst!
Maybe gargaling warm salt water would help??? It's safe, so at least it won't hurt. I know it relieves my sore throat pain when I'm sick and it's a natural germ killer.
My husband had this EXACT thing a few months ago. It's still a mystery as to *what* it actually was though. He gets those tonsil crypts (that's what his doc calls them) from bubble gum - weird, eh?
Anyways, he just gargled with warm salty water, drank lots of fluids, and got plenty of rest. He got better by the end of a week, but he said it was the worst sore throat he'd ever had - include the times he's had strep! You could take some Advil for the pain (safe while bfing, but not pregnancy) and try to rest as much as you can (I know, I know). It should pass after it's run its course.
Feel better soon!!!
