purple2067
04-10-2003, 12:56 AM
Hello all :wave:
I am hoping that somebody can answer my questions... Over the past few days I have been feeling like my glands (or something else in that area!) are swollen. My throat hurts on the left side and I have a pain in the front of my neck, which starts right above my collar bone and goes almost up to my chin and around to the left side a little bit. I also have a low grade fever (100.6). My neck is sore in general though, probably from stress. I saw my allergist today and he looked in my throat and felt my neck... he said that although he could see a small white spot on my tonsils, nothing else looked out of the ordinary and my glands are fine. What I want to know is this: Can the pain I am having in my neck be all muscular? Or is it possible to have a red throat that is far enough down where the dr cannot see, and can that be causing the pain in the front of my neck? Also, why would I have a low-grade fever if I don't have some sort of throat infection?
Should I go see my ear nose and throat specialist tomorrow?
Also, I get these white spots on my tonsils quite often. I know that they are not pockets of food like other people have mentioned. I only get a bad taste in my mouth when I have a post-nasal drip from my sinuses. Usually if I have a sore throat, one or more of these spots is on my tonsils. They go away just as mysteriously as they come. Sometimes they last for a day, sometimes a week or more. Does anybody have any clue as to what the heck these things are? I have been getting them for years, but nobody has ever cultured them because usually by the time I get to go to the ENT specialist it is gone. (my mom has learned how to look in my throat so she is usually the one who sees them) Most of the time when I do have them and I get to see the dr, it is my internist and not the ENT specialist, and my internist can't scrape them and culture them.
I am actually hoping that the next time I see my ENT specialist, one of these spots will be there and he can scrape it and culture it to see what the heck it is.
Sorry for all of the questions, I am just thoroughly confused! If anybody can offer some suggestions I would really appreciate it! Thank you,
Elyse
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 04-10-2003).]
I am hoping that somebody can answer my questions... Over the past few days I have been feeling like my glands (or something else in that area!) are swollen. My throat hurts on the left side and I have a pain in the front of my neck, which starts right above my collar bone and goes almost up to my chin and around to the left side a little bit. I also have a low grade fever (100.6). My neck is sore in general though, probably from stress. I saw my allergist today and he looked in my throat and felt my neck... he said that although he could see a small white spot on my tonsils, nothing else looked out of the ordinary and my glands are fine. What I want to know is this: Can the pain I am having in my neck be all muscular? Or is it possible to have a red throat that is far enough down where the dr cannot see, and can that be causing the pain in the front of my neck? Also, why would I have a low-grade fever if I don't have some sort of throat infection?
Should I go see my ear nose and throat specialist tomorrow?
Also, I get these white spots on my tonsils quite often. I know that they are not pockets of food like other people have mentioned. I only get a bad taste in my mouth when I have a post-nasal drip from my sinuses. Usually if I have a sore throat, one or more of these spots is on my tonsils. They go away just as mysteriously as they come. Sometimes they last for a day, sometimes a week or more. Does anybody have any clue as to what the heck these things are? I have been getting them for years, but nobody has ever cultured them because usually by the time I get to go to the ENT specialist it is gone. (my mom has learned how to look in my throat so she is usually the one who sees them) Most of the time when I do have them and I get to see the dr, it is my internist and not the ENT specialist, and my internist can't scrape them and culture them.
I am actually hoping that the next time I see my ENT specialist, one of these spots will be there and he can scrape it and culture it to see what the heck it is.
Sorry for all of the questions, I am just thoroughly confused! If anybody can offer some suggestions I would really appreciate it! Thank you,
Elyse
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 04-10-2003).]
Sponsor
chiron
04-10-2003, 09:12 AM
I have had throat problems associated with sinus drainage and tonsils all my life, including the white spots while in college. I found that the regular use of an antiseptic mouthwash after brushing my teeth helps control these minor infections. As for the soreness, I generously rub down my neck and throat area with a quality analgesic. For major problems with throat infections I see a physician as soon as possible because they generally lead to respiratory problems for me.
Starbuk498
04-10-2003, 09:49 AM
Purple,
Sorry to hear about your throat problems. As for the white spots on your tonsils, If I were you, I would make an appointment with the doctor very soon. The white spots are usually an indication of strep throat. And strep can spread to other organs, so please make an appointment as soon as possible to rule that out.
best of luck and hope you feel better,
Stefanie
Sorry to hear about your throat problems. As for the white spots on your tonsils, If I were you, I would make an appointment with the doctor very soon. The white spots are usually an indication of strep throat. And strep can spread to other organs, so please make an appointment as soon as possible to rule that out.
best of luck and hope you feel better,
Stefanie
purple2067
04-10-2003, 05:57 PM
Thanks. I actually feel better today. My throat really doesn't hurt anymore. With these white spots, I have them one day and they are gone the next. I am thinking that it is something viral but my dr was never able to culture them. In february I had a sinus infection and strep at the same time. My dr cultured some of the mucus that I was coughing up and the strep was actually in the mucus, which indicated to him that I had it all the way down in my throat as well as in my sinuses. The thing is though, I had previously been on an anti-biotic (Avelox) and it did NOTHING! So my ENT specialist prescribed Ceftin for 10 days, and that got rid of it. I am not one to wait around when I don't feel well... if I get sick I go to the dr. And yesterday my allergist looked in my throat and said he didn't see anything abnormal except for the white spot, and that my throat wasn't even red. My neck also feels better today, so I am not going to run to the dr unless I start to feel worse again.
Now with these white spots, they don't only occur when I have strep. So does anybody have any clue what they could be caused by? Sometimes they do stick around and then I usually have a tonsil infection, but that is pretty rare for me.
Now with these white spots, they don't only occur when I have strep. So does anybody have any clue what they could be caused by? Sometimes they do stick around and then I usually have a tonsil infection, but that is pretty rare for me.
cherok
04-10-2003, 09:01 PM
I had the same condition s a wlittle while ago. I dont quite remember what it was called but the doc presribed some pills to me and over a couple of days the swelling in the throat and inflamed tonsils went away
purple2067
04-16-2003, 12:26 AM
Well now it seems that I have tonsillitis and possibly an upper respiratory infection. I had a very difficult time getting an appointment to see my own dr yesterday and having been sick for the past 5 days I was desperate to see someone, so I went to the student health center at my college and saw a nurse practicioner. This would have been just fine, had she actually known what she was doing! It took 4 tries for her to get my blood pressure! She did a 5 minute strep test and it came back negative. She examined me and said I probably needed an anti-biotic because my throat was so red and I had so many little white spots. But she wouldn't give me one because I have too many allergies to anti-biotics and she didn't know what to give me! I TOLD her exactly what I can take..... Ceftin, Lorabid, Levaquin, Avelox, Zithromax, Clindamycin, and a few other ones that slip my mind at the moment. Nobody there was familiar with any of these and refused to prescribe one for me, even though I clearly needed an anti-biotic! So, I walked around with no medicine for another 24 hours until I got to see my own dr because these people didn't know how to look something up in a PDR.
Anyway, I finally got to see my ENT specialist today. I wouldn't have been able to see my Primary Care Dr until tomorrow! So my ENT dr got me in today. I've got a lot of those little white spots on my tonsils, fever of 100-102 for the last 5 days, coughing up green stuff, bad sinus headaches and a sore throat, swollen tonsils and bad laryngitis. He didn't say that I have a sinus infection, said it looks more like tonsillitis. And I was wondering why I had those little white spots last week. I wonder no more... :) So, now I am on AcquaTab-C for the congestion and cough, and Lorabid 400mg 2X a day for 10 days for the infection. He told me I could stop it after 7 days if I feel significantly better, but I think I will continue it for the full 10 days no matter what, so I don't get a relapse! The fun never ends! UGH!!!!!
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 04-15-2003).]
Anyway, I finally got to see my ENT specialist today. I wouldn't have been able to see my Primary Care Dr until tomorrow! So my ENT dr got me in today. I've got a lot of those little white spots on my tonsils, fever of 100-102 for the last 5 days, coughing up green stuff, bad sinus headaches and a sore throat, swollen tonsils and bad laryngitis. He didn't say that I have a sinus infection, said it looks more like tonsillitis. And I was wondering why I had those little white spots last week. I wonder no more... :) So, now I am on AcquaTab-C for the congestion and cough, and Lorabid 400mg 2X a day for 10 days for the infection. He told me I could stop it after 7 days if I feel significantly better, but I think I will continue it for the full 10 days no matter what, so I don't get a relapse! The fun never ends! UGH!!!!!
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 04-15-2003).]
purple2067
04-16-2003, 12:44 AM
Originally posted by purple2067:
Thanks. I actually feel better today. My throat really doesn't hurt anymore...................
Now with these white spots, they don't only occur when I have strep. So does anybody have any clue what they could be caused by? Sometimes they do stick around and then I usually have a tonsil infection, but that is pretty rare for me.
I spoke too soon.
Thanks. I actually feel better today. My throat really doesn't hurt anymore...................
Now with these white spots, they don't only occur when I have strep. So does anybody have any clue what they could be caused by? Sometimes they do stick around and then I usually have a tonsil infection, but that is pretty rare for me.
I spoke too soon.
Samuelemouse
04-18-2003, 06:17 AM
The white spots could be the same white bacterial growth as on your tongue (is your tongue white? if yes then most likely it is the same thing ie not serious but can cause bad breath).
purple2067
04-18-2003, 03:03 PM
No, my tongue is not white. These spots only occur when I have a sore throat.
ballen
06-16-2003, 12:57 PM
Bad Breath – Postnasal drip, and white-coated tongue.
======================================== =============
Hi, my name is Betty and I am 41-years old and, for the past 6 years I have suffered with chronic bad breath. I had a constant white tongue and terrible rotten egg festal smelling breath. I would get a terrible metallic taste and have constant postnasal drip that would cause me to have to clear my throat all the time. I have even coughed up tonsil stones. Then well my ENT put me on one medication one after the other and it did clear up some of the postnasal drip. I bought a Waterpic and started using it. I tried some of every kind of bad breath products and tongue scrapers but I could never get rid of the coated white tongue and the rotten egg of the fecal smelling bad breath.
Until my sister told me about an old home remedy that involved gargling with a solution of baking soda, peroxide, and vinegar. Well I tried it and, the very first time, IT WORKED!!!!!! The coated white tongue was GONE. I brushed, flossed and scarped my tongue, and gargled again. AND I CAN TESTIFY TO YOU, THAT IN THE NAME OF MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, YES IT WORKED, IT WORKED, IT WORKED
HALLELUJAH, IT WORKED!!!!!!
A few days later a went to get my teeth cleaned and told my dentist about my problem and how I have spent hundreds of dollars on bad breath products and tongue scrapers how I have now after so long finally founded the cure, he said that yes my new gargling rinse should work well (the peroxide and baking soda will kill bacteria off my tongue, it was causing the white coating to form on my tongue). He WARNED me not to overdo gargling with this solution because it might start to kill off some of the good bacteria that also live on the tongue, and that it would eventually start eating away the enamel often my teeth. He prescribed me a prescription of a peroxide rinse that would give me great results but do it safety. The name of the prescription is PERIDEX OR PERIOGARD. It only caused me $7.23
FOR NOW ,IT’S WORKING GREAT. So I still take my sinus medication, brush, floss, tongue scrape and now rinse with the PERIDEX and every now and then I use my Waterpic and thing are great. PRAISE THE LORD!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!
I know you have tried some of everything, but just try this, and you will be able to say joyfully
THANK YOU JESUS!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! THANK YOU, JESUS!!!
======================================== =============
Hi, my name is Betty and I am 41-years old and, for the past 6 years I have suffered with chronic bad breath. I had a constant white tongue and terrible rotten egg festal smelling breath. I would get a terrible metallic taste and have constant postnasal drip that would cause me to have to clear my throat all the time. I have even coughed up tonsil stones. Then well my ENT put me on one medication one after the other and it did clear up some of the postnasal drip. I bought a Waterpic and started using it. I tried some of every kind of bad breath products and tongue scrapers but I could never get rid of the coated white tongue and the rotten egg of the fecal smelling bad breath.
Until my sister told me about an old home remedy that involved gargling with a solution of baking soda, peroxide, and vinegar. Well I tried it and, the very first time, IT WORKED!!!!!! The coated white tongue was GONE. I brushed, flossed and scarped my tongue, and gargled again. AND I CAN TESTIFY TO YOU, THAT IN THE NAME OF MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, YES IT WORKED, IT WORKED, IT WORKED
HALLELUJAH, IT WORKED!!!!!!
A few days later a went to get my teeth cleaned and told my dentist about my problem and how I have spent hundreds of dollars on bad breath products and tongue scrapers how I have now after so long finally founded the cure, he said that yes my new gargling rinse should work well (the peroxide and baking soda will kill bacteria off my tongue, it was causing the white coating to form on my tongue). He WARNED me not to overdo gargling with this solution because it might start to kill off some of the good bacteria that also live on the tongue, and that it would eventually start eating away the enamel often my teeth. He prescribed me a prescription of a peroxide rinse that would give me great results but do it safety. The name of the prescription is PERIDEX OR PERIOGARD. It only caused me $7.23
FOR NOW ,IT’S WORKING GREAT. So I still take my sinus medication, brush, floss, tongue scrape and now rinse with the PERIDEX and every now and then I use my Waterpic and thing are great. PRAISE THE LORD!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!
I know you have tried some of everything, but just try this, and you will be able to say joyfully
THANK YOU JESUS!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!! THANK YOU, JESUS!!!
IteachAG
07-10-2003, 05:57 PM
My son had sore throats and low grade fevers for months. We would go to the Dr. and they would do a strep test which would come back negative. Then he started having pain in his neck and a sore throat. He started running a fever so we took him to the Dr. again. His neck was stiff feeling. They said that his tonsills looked fine and no strep. More likely a pulled muscle along with a virus. Well, the next day his neck was swollen out and a fever of 103. We saw an ENT, thank God, and he diagnosed a peritonsillar abcess which had gone to cellulitis. Emergency surgery was performed as the infection was starting to go systemic. At the time of the tonsillectomy his fever was 104 and he could barely hold his head up. When I asked the Dr. why noone else had discovered this I was told because the infection was in the soft tissue behind the tonsill so that the Dr.s couldn't spot it on exam. Please make sure to see an ENT specialist is you have anymore problems and don't mess with this kind of infection. It can be dangerous. YOu very well may have to get your tonsills removed. It's worth it . My son feels 100 percent better.
purple2067
07-10-2003, 06:42 PM
Thank you so much for your reply. I did end up going to my ENT specialist. The only reason I didn't go to him in the first place was because I couldn't get an appointment. It turned out that all I had was strep that last time. Usually when I get those little white spots, they go away on their own. I give it 3 or 4 days, monitoring my fever, etc... If I start to feel worse I go to the ENT dr. Knock wood, that last throat infection that I wrote about was the last one that I had. I've had nothing since then. (don't want to jinx myself though.)
poreoilyme
07-10-2003, 08:29 PM
I had those white spots for years and it was always strep and staph infections. I got my tonsils out and 29 years later have not had the first sore throat, strep, or staph infection since!
purple2067
07-10-2003, 10:49 PM
I talked with my ENT specialist about removing my tonsils, and he said that he doesn't think I get enough major throat infections to warrant it. I think he's right. Before I had Strep in february, I hadn't had a really major throat infection in at least a year or more. But those darn little spots keep popping up.(usually when my allergies get bad.) My throat has been fine since the last throat infection in April, just the occasional allergy itchiness and soreness.
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 07-10-2003).]
[This message has been edited by purple2067 (edited 07-10-2003).]
Bittchelle
08-21-2003, 05:56 AM
Hey Purple,
I get those white spots too, sometimes my throat is irritated and sometimes not. Look into www.tonsilstones.com (http://www.tonsilstones.com) That might be what you have. It's not food, but mucous and bacteria build up or something. Sometimes you can end up coughing them up, etc.
Well, I just try to cough em up when i have em, or gargle mouthwash at them.
Good luck!
--Michelle
I get those white spots too, sometimes my throat is irritated and sometimes not. Look into www.tonsilstones.com (http://www.tonsilstones.com) That might be what you have. It's not food, but mucous and bacteria build up or something. Sometimes you can end up coughing them up, etc.
Well, I just try to cough em up when i have em, or gargle mouthwash at them.
Good luck!
--Michelle