Hello all,

A few weeks ago i noticed a sensation in my throat and my right ear. Being fairly level headed i thought nothing of it. about 2 weeks ago i significantly decreased the amount of cigarettes i smoke in my plan to ween myself from smoking by my birthday on Jan. 2nd. And that's when the annoying sensations starting becoming uncomfortable (not painful really). I made an appointment with my doctor to check it out and i go in this Tuesday but my worries need some allaying now. I took a small flashlight tonight and checked out my throat. It seems that my right tonsil is swollen, not severly but noticiby and this is why i have become worried. I feel it mostly when I breathe and can hear the air in my ear. It is also more uncomfortable in the morning. I can also feel these sensations in my throat and ear when I swallow but not as bad as when i breathe thru my mouth. I guess the reason i am so worried is that about 6 weeks to 2 months ago i had one swollen lymph node just under my chin that went away of its own accord in 2-3 days. I'm 29...almost 30 and have been smoking for 12 years. for the last 2 years i have been smoking weed alot, almost everyday and i have now quit that too (2 weeks ago). I know everyone will say that i should go see a doctor and i am but i need a little something to ease my worried mind asap. Thank you all for any information you can offer.

Hi overman,

It sounds as if you may have had tonsilitis. The swollen lymph gland that went away, and swollen tonsil(s). Some tonsils are naturally uneven, and this could be the case for you, you just might not have noticed it before. Another posibility is a quinsy, which is a swelling of just one tonsil, which will eventually cause a lot of pain, sand prevent the jaw from opening. If this is your diagnosis, then I think it's treatable. You are very young to get cancer of the tonsils, so it is statistically improbable.

However, most of the people on this forum are cancer sufferers, or partners of cancer sufferers, and we would not discourage you from getting this checked out. I myself have had cancer of the tonsil, and I'm sorry but if that is what is worrying you, you are likely to have quite a few weeks more of worry, before you find oyt for sure. I was prescribed quite a few courses of antibiotics, to see if the swelling was an infection, and would respond to medication, before I was referred to a specialist. Then I had my tonsils removed, and it took another week ot two before I recieved the results of the biopsy.

It's great that you are giving up smoking, well done on your progress so far, and good luck over Christmas and the new year.

Thanks Jenni,

I am indeed worried that it might be cancer but like you said, I am little young for that to be my first worry. I do know that the swelling is the cause of my ear sensations because when i breathe in cold air i feel it in both places (tonsil and ear)...I have been kinda tired lately but certainly not enough for me to worry about and i don't have a fever at all. Can one have tonsilitis and no fever? I've been reading alot of these posts and my heart goes out to those with any kind of cancer...even thinking about having it is scary, nevermind knowing one has it. Best wishes for everyone and thanks again Jenni
p.s. The gland between my jaw bone and throat seems to be slightly enlarged...not painful
( and not pea shaped or sized) but definitely swelled compared to the left side. could this have something to do with the tonsil too?

Hi overman, i don't know if you have seen my posts or not, but it seems like we have similar symptoms.
My right tonsil is enlarged, not massively but considerably larger than the left.
My gland is also up under the jaw near the ear, and i have a gland or node thats raised and kind of moveable on the side of my neck about half way down.

It is possible to have tonsilitis and no fever, there are viral and bacterial tonsilitis.
Usually with tonsilitis you will be able to see a coating or puss spots on the affected area.

I have tried to find out as much info on the net about a single enlarged tonsil but i can't find anything other than cancer or tumour of some sort so i am scared to death.

I have had it for 6 months now and i am booked in to see an ear, nose and throat doctor tomorrow afternoon.I have been to the doctors several times and they aren't very worried about it.

It really is best to go and see a doctor and see what they say. If antibiotics are given and don't work for you then go back. Its not worth worrying about it when it could be anything.
I really should learn to take my own advice.

Were you ill before the tonsil was noticed?
it could be a virus that is taking a long time to leave your system.

The gland is probably to do with the tonsil, your tonsils filter anything going into your system, so if your body is trying to fight something or has become irritated by something,your glands will normally come up as well, sometimes several all over the body like in the armpit or groin, as well as the neck.

There is another person on here who had an enlarged tonsil and after a biopsy it came back as chronic irritation, so it could be something simple like that.
But if it is cancer its important to be caught early so book an appointment with your doctor and see what they say, then at least you will know you are doing what you can.

I am scared but if i get told i have it then i know what i have at least, its the not knowing thats the worrying part sometimes.

Well Sedge, thanks for the post and i am fairly confident that all is well with me. I gargled with warm salt water everyday since my first post and the swelling and irritation has gone down. I see the doctor tomorrow and i'll still mention it becasue it's still in the back of my mind.

I was not sick before i notice the swelling...i have not been sick for a little over 2 yrs now. it started out that i would feel 'something' in my ear sometimes when i swallowed and it slowly got to the point where i was like 'hey, this is getting weird' and that's when i noticed my right tonsil was about double the size of my left one...i did also notice a white dot on it that is also about twice as big as another white dot on my left...i've been looking it up and they might be tonsil stones and since my right tonsil is bothering me and it's the one with the bigger white thingy, i'm starting to think that tonsil stones might actually be my problem but who knows...the only thing i've learned of all this is the most likely reason for my predicament is probably the most common reason for it... nothing to worry about...but I'll let the Doctor tell me that too... thank you for your message... let me know how the doctor's appointment went; I'll do the same.

thx

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Overman,

Hi Overman,
glad things are looking better. From what you say about these dots, they do sound like they could be tonsil stones.

My appointment is today so i will let everyone know who has replied to my postings how i get on, i don't suppose there will be much they can tell me at this stage but it may make me feel a bit better.

Hi Overman, or whoever is reading this.
I went to the ENT today, it was short and sweet but the guy was nice anyway.
He had a look at the tonsil, and a feel of my neck and just said we'll take them out for you. I said i was worried about cancer, and he said it was just enlarged, but smooth and didn't look at all like cancer or anything nasty, so i am having them both out. 6 to 8 week waiting list for that, and i asked if he thought it was urgent and he said no not at all, so i feel a bit better now.
there must be something i have or don't have that makes him so sure.
Anyway, looking to my surgery, NOT !!
But i am counting my blessings, and i hope everyone has the best Christmas and New Year that they can possiblt have with whatever is going on for them.
Any tips on tonsil sugery by the way, i've never had any opertaions before at all. Not even a tooth extraction.

Hi Sedge,
That's great news. When I went to a specialist he definitely suspected the tonsil was cancerous, and I went into hospital the very next day, so as they are waiting 6-8 weeks to remove yours they are obviously confident that your problem is not cancer. Congratulations.
After you have had your tonsils out, your throat will be very sore. However nowadays it is recommended that you continue to eat normally after the operration, to allow the scar yto heal properly. You will be given strong painkillers, and I recommend that you take some about half an hour before you eat. I was in hospital for two nights, one before the operation and one after, but the hospital food was not wonderful. I asked my husband to pick up a takeaway pizza on the way in to see me, and the consultant was pleased to see me eating. Maybe if the hospital kitchens cooked Deep Pan Meat Feat Pizza instead of cornish pastie and mashed potato then all of the patients would eat more.

Sedge,
Have a great Christmas and New Year. Don't worry any more your op is straightforward-probably a couple of nights in hospital. There is more of a chance of haemmoraging with adults so you may have a bloody mouth! (excuse me!)I had a neck dissection as well so the tonsil bit didn't bother me at all and I was eating straight away.
Keep in touch
Anne

Anne

Thanks Jenni and Anne, for your help and advice.
I'll remember what you have said.
I feel stupid and slightly guilty for worrying, but i guess it is human nature mixed with all the hype of cancer that got me going somewhat.

I know the chance that it is cancer is slim but still there, as there does seem to be a few people whose doctors/ surgeons were shocked to find cancer when it wasn't suspected. But i guess these consultants know what they are doing most of the time, and it would be pretty unlucky for two doctors, a nurse and a consultant not to pick up on something.

Thanks again for listening or should i say reading my worries and for putting my mind at rest.

You will probably never know how much your words have helped me.
Forever thankful
Sarah

Sarah

Remember Anne's warning about haemmoraging. In my case it happened 5 days after the operation, when I was at home. I wasn't warned about the possibility and it scared me S**Tless! By the time I got to A+E it had almost stopped, but I was kept in overnight again for observation. Hopefully it won't happen to you

Pete

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Phinsing,