Tonsil Stones

[goofyernmost]

Tonsillitis is literally "inflammation of the tonsils", it can be caused by viral or bacterial infections.

Yea, I know what causes that, my point was that I had never heard of tonsil stones and wondered if that was the same thing. Apparently not.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I tired pooping it out myself but it didn’t budge. My PC says I have large tonsils and they are more susceptible to getting tonsil stone. To me my tonsils look gross/unhealthy. After battling tonsillitis for a couple months last winter I wouldn’t mind getting them removed.

I would get tired trying to poop them out too!

 

[disykat]

I have struggled with these for many years. I find that a hydrogen peroxide rinse/gargle (I dilute with 75% water) really helps loosen them. I apparently have deep "tonsillar crypts" and between that and my allergies, ugh. I sure wish I'd had my tonsils out as a kid!

 

[Lehuaann]

I would get tired trying to poop them out too!

LOL! That’s Tag Fairy material right there

 

[DLgal]

I would get tired trying to poop them out too!

You'd have to strain REALLY hard!

 

[leebee]

Tonsil stones are technically "tonsilloliths" and they form from post nasal drip and mucus that collects in the natural pockets of your tonsils. People with many pockets and/or deep pockets will have more trouble with these. DD struggled with them, and the "death breath" that goes along with them, for years. Same thing a few people have mentioned- she'd get a burning on her tonsil and the bad breath, and then she'd stick her finger back there and pop them out. They are fetid... they truly stink. The worse shape her tonsils were in, the more stones she'd develop. For years her pediatrician resisted making the referral to the ENT for a tonsillectomy, finally gave in and referred her when she was 16. ENT's first comment was "Why the 'heck' didn't you have these taken out years ago?"

 

[Kestryl]

I get these sometimes, and it really sucks because I have an incredibly strong gag reflex. I can’t use q-tips or other objects, only my fingers, for some reason.

I mostly try to ignore them, unless I feel them. They tend to pop out on their own.

 

[georgina]

Wow, first time I have heard of this. The things you learn on the dis! The human body can be pretty disgusting at times. Sorry you all have to deal with it.

I used to get strep throat a lot in HS/college years, battled allergies and some asthma-like symptoms. Once saw a pulmonary doctor who looked in my throat and said if an ENT ever saw my tonsils he would want to remove them. Still have them at age 60. Thankfully I no longer get throat infections and have found the correct allergy medication for me.

 

[Moliphino]

Yea, I know what causes that, my point was that I had never heard of tonsil stones and wondered if that was the same thing. Apparently not.

Oh, no. Sometimes tonsillitis can cause pits in your tonsils, which then collect mucus and food and all sorts of gross stuff that then forms into a little stone. It's as pleasant as it sounds.

 

[lovin'fl]

I have huge pot holey tonsils since I had a very bad case of tonsillitis in college. And have gotten the stones since (30 years). I can tell when they are there sometimes because my throat will be sore. I pop them out myself. They are gross and smelly. And sometimes hurt.

 

[Moliphino]

I get these sometimes, and it really sucks because I have an incredibly strong gag reflex. I can’t use q-tips or other objects, only my fingers, for some reason.

I mostly try to ignore them, unless I feel them. They tend to pop out on their own.

I've usually been able to work them out without sticking anything in my throat. I'm not even sure how to describe it, I work my throat muscles a whole lot? I also have a very strong gag reflex, so poking around didn't work well for me.

 

[goofyernmost]

I have huge pot holey tonsils since I had a very bad case of tonsillitis in college. And have gotten the stones since (30 years). I can tell when they are there sometimes because my throat will be sore. I pop them out myself. They are gross and smelly. And sometimes hurt.

Kind of makes me happy that when I was 5 years old the surgery of the year (probably the decade) was a tonsillectomy. I don't think I have had more than 4 sore throats in the past 69 years.

 

[cvjw]

Reading this, I am very happy to have had my tonsils taken out at age 6. I had no idea tonsil stones even existed - never heard of anyone having them.

 

[Boardwalk Family of 4]

My teenage son has had several of them. The first time ( about 4 years ago) an ENT specialist who was filling in at our urgent care facility popped it out. I had never heard of them before that. He gets them periodically but can usually get them to dissolve? by gargling with salt water. I'll never forget when the ENT specialist popped it out, it bounced on the floor, and he said "There's the little bugger!"

 

[nw6675]

Had them for a few years...and then I didn't. Thankfully!

For those who have never had them be thankful. They are gross and for me felt like a popcorn kernel stuck in your throat. Ugh, I am grossing myself out from the memories!!

 

[WDWEPCOT]

DD suffered from them -ENT removed her tonsils -17 yrs - I was so thankful I had mine out at 4 yrs !! DD had a bad case of them - tons of them - up to that point I had never heard of them
Not a fun surgery at any age but worse the older you get - Good Luck with what you decide to do !!!

 

[stitch'sgirl]

I'm so glad I had my tonsils removed in my late 20s. Tonsil stones are gross and I used the q-tip removal method as well. The smell? Just like a barnyard. I always had one swollen tonsil full of stones and sore and one more normal tonsil. I had to beg as an adult to get them removed. In hindsight that and allergy shots were the 2 best things I ever did for myself.

My son's ent told me after he removed his tonsils he saw that they were full of a nasty bacteria and would have caused him problems his whole life. I wonder if that makes some people more susceptible to the stones?

 

[redboat45]

I get them and they aren't that big of a deal for me. They will generally fall out themselves. Occasionally I'll just scrape them out. I'd never get my tonsils out because of the ones I get. I feel bad for those that have them to the point of needing that surgery.

 

[Christine]

I think all tonsils have very tiny "pockets" or holes in them. If you have allergies, a cold, or some other infection, the tonsils can swell causing the pockets to enlarge. People who have recurrent throat issues can get permanently enlarged pockets and then everything you swallow is fair game for collecting in them. I have have "bouts" of tonsils stones. Don't know why. But I can always get them out on my own. They do cause a sore throat feeling on one side if they get large enough.

I know several adults who've had their tonsils removed because of recurrent problems with stones or tonsiliths.