I noticed that my right tonsil is swollen. It doesn't bother me at all, even when I swallow.
It's been like that for about four months. I haven't been sick or have had a soar throat or any other swellings.But I am a little worried that this could be somthing else.I pushed on it today and some white stuff came out along with what I think was a tonsil stone.Can tonsil stones cause swelling? The tonsil is not very big but I can see that it is inlarged.It seems to not have gotten any bigger either. Please Help. Thanks in advance

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

hi Ben0140. I have had similar symptoms to you i think. Beginning of July i went to the doctors as i had a cold feeling across my chest, she checked my breathing which was fine and had a look in my mouth, she said my right tonsil was enlarged slightly and said it was probably viral, she gave me antibiotics (why i don't know as i thought antibiotics didn't do anything for viruses)i took those and 3 days into taking them i had a pain across my right eye and down my cheek. I went back to the docs who said it didn't sound like a reaction to the pills but gave me different ones, i took all of those but it was no different, i was basically told to leave it. After two months of it being the same it got infected, i took tablets again for this which cleared up the infection but the tonsil was still as enlarged as it was, which isn't much the doctors say. I was told to leave it another month and go back so i did, i had a swab taken of it and bloog tests for glandular fever which i already had when i was 16, i'm 27 now and fairly fit and well, although i do smoke so i did worry it was cancer, but the doctors don't seem to think it is as it looks fairly normal apart from being enlarged and i don't seem to have any other symptoms to suggest anything nasty. The gland is up under the jaw but i don't know if that always happens when a tonsil is up. I have been told it is a mystery as to why it is only the one tonsil, but noone seems to be able to say why. Its scary looking on the net as everything to do with one enlarged tonsil brings up cancer, but i have looked at some pictures of tonsil cancer and they look really nasty.
I have also had a bit of a sore throat but that was more at the start and i don't seem to notice anything now. The tonsil on the left side seems to have a twinge of localised pain now and again and i think but don't know if that one looks like it has got a bit bigger.My wisdom tooth on the left has started to come through so i didn't know if there was a connection there, the right top wisdom tooth has a bit of discomfort, but nothing major.
Basically the doctor has said its up to me what i want to do go to an ear, nose and throat doctor or just leave it.
The only thing that worries me now is i have pain on the left side of my neck but only when i strain it, like if i bend down and strtch my arm out, like if i have to pick something off the floor or pick up a heavy object.
I have no pain or discomfort when talking, eating or swallowing, so i am at a lost as to what it is, and slightly worried.I do trust my doctor when she says not to worry it doesn't look like its anything nasty, but its the not knowing.

Hi Sedge and Ben

I would strongly suggest that you both ask to be referred to an ENT specialist. I too had very little in the way of symptoms - just a slightly swollen tonsil and one of my neck glands would twinge now and then (as if fighting off a cold maybe) but then I noticed a crater appear (as if there had been an abcess and it had burst( that's when I went to Drs and got referred very quickly. The rest is history and I am now doing really well, but if I had left it who knows?.

So get yourself referred - it may be nothing more than an infection but better to be safe than sorry.

Keep us informed.

Best regards
Rosie

Hello Sedge and Ben

I agree with Rosie. Get referred to see an ENT specialist for a second opinion and definitive diagnosis. Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes
Vinod

Well yes, i am going to see my doctor tomorrow to arrange a referral. Problem is part of me wants to know what it is and part of me doesn't.
I keep thinking to myself that if it is something bad, i'd rather not know, rather than have my family worry about me, or me worry about my daughter's welfare if it is cancer.
Then when i am having a good day and feeling in high spirits i think well i'm sure its nothing serious and even if it is, then it is, there are people worse off then me.
Plus i don't know if anyone can say but if it was anything like cancer, then i have already had it for 4 months + so what sort of chance would i have if it was that?

What was your problem Rose, if you don't mind me asking?
How long was it like it for etc..?

Thanks Sedge,Rosie and Dr. Joshi.
I will go to the doctor and hopefully everything will be ok.I Pray everything goes well for you too Sedge.I read your other posts Rosie and I'm very happy to see That you are doing fine. Take care all and thanks again.

Hello again Sedge and Ben, well to answer your question Sedge - I think the problem had been going on for about 6 months before I really started to notice it - as I said my symptoms were so little that I didn't think it worth bothering a Dr. After seeing a specialist he too thought it might be just an infection and prescribed anti bitics (I often wonder whether he knew what is was really but they have to break you into the final diagnosis very slowly) anyway it was another couple of months before I went into hospital to have what Dr thought migt be a quinsy removed (a very infected tonsil) but when I was on the slab and they could see it properly the surgeon realised it was something else and took a biopsy. I had to wait 10 days for the result.

I too like you didn't really want to know but not knowing was worse. Once I had the news although it was a terrible blow I knew I could deal with it. My team of Drs nurses and other specilaists filled me with confidence and I knew I was in safe hands.

My understanding is that if these things are found early enough the prognosis is very good, that's why you should not delay.

All the best to you.

Rosie

Yes, i guess i will feel better when i know, thats if they can tell me!
I have been to the doctors today and got an appointment for the ear, nose and throat doctor on Friday 13th of this month, i really hope that date is not a bad omen !!.
She had another feel of my neck as i was worried about some lumps and bumps that i could feel, she wasn't really sure but said that as i was concerned she would list it as an urgent appointment, even though whatever she could feel wasn't concerning her.
I am also booked in for the 24th October at my local stop smoking clinic.
I don't suppose i would be so worried if i didn't smoke, so i may as well get that packed in, so i hopefully don't need to worry too much in the future.
Fingers crossed for the 13th.
Best Wishes to you all.

can i just ask, if anyone knows. Would it be a good sign that my tonsil that was enlarged got infected two months after it was first seen?
I am hoping that makes a difference, but maybe its wishful thinking.

Sorry, just thought of something else quickly,probably only Dr Joshi can answer.
I had blood tests done to look for glandular fever when i asked for a second opinion, and they came back ok, the doctor said the bloods were fine, i have read that Lymphoma would alter your blood tests in some way, is that correct and for arguements say i have that, would it have shown up anything abnormal in the blood tests?
Thanks for any advice.
Also i have been dentist today and there is nothing wrong with the rest of my mouth or teeth, thankfully.
I know i shouldn't worry Dr.Joshi, but its hard when you look for info on one enlarged tonsil and it keeps coming up as cancer.!
bye for now

Sedge, I hope that the consultation on the 13th went OK. If not then don't worry too much as the prognosis for cancer of the tonsil is fairly good (80-90%) if it's caught early. I also had cancer of the Tonsil, and I also had an infection which made the swelling worse. I think that food gets trapped if you have an enlarged tonsil, and that causes infection. When I first went to the doctors he thought that it might be quinsy, and asked if I had any pain when opening my mouth to its full extent.

Hi Jenni, Sarah here, do you mind telling me what your symptoms were etc, step by step?
My appointment didn't go ahead on the 13th as planned due to a family emergency so its now on the 12th December.
Really scared but i guess i just have to deal with what they throw at me like everyone it happens to does.

You're right in that the bloods would show if you had lymphoma. Squamous cell carcinoma would not show.
The only way to be sure is have a biopsy of your tonsil.

Hi sedge.

Whilst I was on holiday in July last year I had a sore ear that I thought was an ear infection. I was worried about flying home with an ear infection, so I went to a doctor, this was easily arranged as I was staying with my in-laws in Cyprus. The doctor prescriped some antibiotics, which I took, and the pain reduced, so that I thought I would be OK to fly. During this time I was feeling really run down, and strangely the soles of my feet were very sore. I have no idea if this was is any way connected with the later developements.

When I returned home, I still didn't feel any better, and my sore ear had developed into a sore throat. I went to my own GP, who took one look in my throat, and said 'my goodness', as one tonsil was really enlarged. He asked if I had any problems opening my mouth wide as he suspected that I might have a quinsy. He prescribed another course of antibiotics. A week later having finished the antibiotics I still had a sore throat and one swollen tonsil, so I went back to the doctors. I couldn't see my own doctor as he had gone on holiday, so I had to see a different doctor. He prescribed a different sort of antibiotic to see if that would do the trick. Another week later, and I was back at the doctors again. By then the doctor was suggesting that I was referred to a ENT consultant, but I thought that the antibiotics had had some effect, but the right tonsil was still enlarged. In retrospect I think that the infection on the tonsil was cured by the antibiotics, but the cancer was still there. The doctor then prescribed a two week course of antibiotics. Two weeks later I was back to see my own GP again, and he referred me to the ENT at the hospital. I was on a training course the following week, so I didn't want an appointment that week, but I was hoping for something fairly soon after that. By then I was really worried, and was checking the mail daily. I took a couple of days off work, and went back to my doctors, as I was concerned that the tonsil appeared to have got larger. The doctor wrote another letter to the ENT department at the hospital, requesting that my case be considered urgent, as they suspected a possible malignancy. At this point I panicked, and decided to phone the local BUPA hospital and arranged to see an ENT consultant the following day. This is a decision I have never regretted, and was well worth the £150 I paid. I saw the consultant on Wednesday afternoon. He looked at my throat, and felt the tonsil to see if he could feel or see any blood vessels. He also put a flexible camera tube up my nose to look at the back of my throat. He decided that it would be best to remove the tonsils for a biopsy, and arranged to book me onto his (NHS) surgery list for that Friday. I went into hospital on the Thursday for blood tests and a scan, and the tonsils were removed on the Friday. The right Tonsil was found to have a squaemous cell carcinoma, as well as an infection.

Anyway, the only obvious symptons I had initially were a sore ear and throat. I now remember that I was quite embarassed last Summer as I would choke when eating corn on the cob and I now think that this was because of the lump at the back of the throat.

As we have said before Sarah, do go to the ENT clinic, although you will be frightened of what they might say. The earlier that any problem is picked up the better. If you are too worried to wait until the 12th December, then give them a ring and explain how worried you are and ask if they can fit you in any earlier.