I am a 25 year old male. About 3 months ago, I came down with a bad infection, which, with antibiotics, cleared up in about four days. A few weeks after starting a new job where my hours are crazy, I began to notice some burning and irritation in the back of my throat. Eventually, I noticed a little growth area on my left tonsil with no other symptoms (like a raised bump). A few weeks later, I saw an ENT.

He ran a scope on me--normal. He then sent me for an MRI, which came back with non-specific findings, including hyperemia (increased blood flow) which "could be consistent with inflammation of the left tonsil."

Throughout all of this, my symptoms come and go, consisting mostly of unilateral stabbing pain when I swallow on the left side, random ear "fullness" and/or pain, and random tiredness. My left tonsil also has a little white-colored line.

Despite all of these symptoms, my doctor simply did not want to do a tonsillectomy because he did not think there is anything wrong with me after examining me numerous times--no lymph node issues, etc. So he told me try some home remedial measures and come back in a few weeks. Well, the tonsil still bothers me, so I have now scheduled a tonsillectomy for next week.

Since then, I've noticed a lymph node bump under my left jaw--where the problem tonsil is--that has always been there, but I kind of feel that it is more pronounced than it used to be. It is moveable and smaller than a pea, but I keep feeling it and worrying myself.

My questions are two-fold because I've essentially worried myself to death at this point.

1) What likelihood is it that I have something serious wrong with these symptoms?

2) Because I have bad OCD, I have felt the lymph node and my tonsil (to see if it is hard or not) numerous times. If it were something serious, how likely is this action to cause immediate and long-reaching spread of cancer for instance.

I am sorry for writing such a long e-mail, but I am literally about to lose my mind. Please help.

Hello jman

The lymph node is most probably a reaction to the infection in the tonsil that you are having removed. Let your surgeon know. The histology of the tonsil should clarify the cause of your discomfort and determine if any other treatment is necessary.

Muscles can cause the type of pains you describe, too. Observe yourself to see if you are subconsciously tensing your jaw /throat muscles whilst working. Often such activity brings the teeth together (they should be apart when the jaw is relaxed).

Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes
Vinod

Thank you, Dr. Interestingly, my ENT suggested that I may be suffering from TMJ in light of the MRI's findings (i.e., hyperemia of my neck and jaw muscles). As I said before, it said the latter was only consistent with a finding relating to inflammation of the left palatine tonsil, but otherwise noted no tissue abnormalities. Still, I am very worried, and still thankful I will have the surgery next week.

When you say the histology of my tonsil will determine what to do next (i.e., if any further treatment is necessary), what does this mean? Could I have abnormal histology and not have something serious?

Also, my last question relating to touching lymph nodes: if, in fact (and worst case scenario) there was a malignancy in the lymph nodes or tonsil, would feeling them cause it to spread to the other parts of the body? Because of my OCD, I sometimes feel these things, and I am worried that, if there was something wrong, I have effectively doomed myself.