My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
My right tonsil is larger then my left, and when ever I get a throat infection it takes ages to go. Plus I keep finding this white stuff caught in my right tonsil, its like the right tonsil has a pocket in it for collecting stuff. yuck! any ideas?
Last edited by LadyWriter1968; 08-16-2010 at 10:37 AM.
Reason: typed wrong text previously
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
For the majority of my life (I'm 58), neither tonsil was ever swollen. Several years ago, my right tonsil showed up and I would occasionally spit out one/some of those foul-smelling things. I asked my ENT about it and he said, "You don't want to have your tonsils out as an adult." He seemed unconcerned because I'm a non-smoker.
Fast forward to this spring. I had my throat scoped for other reasons and asked him once again about the large tonsil. Another bump had shown up above the swollen right tonsil. The ENT said it was part of the tonsil and that since I'm a non-smoker, a malignancy was highly unlikely. When I returned to the ENT a couple of months later, he said the size of the tonsil hadn't changed and we should just watch it...malignancy was highly unlikely. I explained to him that my father was one of 7 siblings, 6 of whom died of cancer, and none of them had the same kind of cancer. He said, "Then you've got the gene. You should probably have them out."
I had my tonsillectomy on July 23. Recovery has been coming along nicely. My post-op appointment is this Friday. I'll ask about the test results then, but I'm pretty confident that everything was okay. According to an acquaintance who has the same ENT, if anything was wrong, the office would have called right away. I hope he took pictures of my tonsils after he removed them. After my surgery, he told my husband that the right tonsil was 10 times larger than the left one. I'd like to see what that looks like. I don't even know what size a normal tonsil is.
I think everything is okay, and I'm very glad to be rid of them. If the test results are good, I won't be thinking about the possibility of tonsil cancer anymore. And if the test results are bad, hopefully it was caught while something can still be done about it.
So, while I don't really think asymetrical tonsils are exactly normal, it doesn't necessarily mean that there's anything terribly wrong, either.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by choirgirl
For the majority of my life (I'm 58), neither tonsil was ever swollen. Several years ago, my right tonsil showed up and I would occasionally spit out one/some of those foul-smelling things. I asked my ENT about it and he said, "You don't want to have your tonsils out as an adult." He seemed unconcerned because I'm a non-smoker.
Fast forward to this spring. I had my throat scoped for other reasons and asked him once again about the large tonsil. Another bump had shown up above the swollen right tonsil. The ENT said it was part of the tonsil and that since I'm a non-smoker, a malignancy was highly unlikely. When I returned to the ENT a couple of months later, he said the size of the tonsil hadn't changed and we should just watch it...malignancy was highly unlikely. I explained to him that my father was one of 7 siblings, 6 of whom died of cancer, and none of them had the same kind of cancer. He said, "Then you've got the gene. You should probably have them out."
I had my tonsillectomy on July 23. Recovery has been coming along nicely. My post-op appointment is this Friday. I'll ask about the test results then, but I'm pretty confident that everything was okay. According to an acquaintance who has the same ENT, if anything was wrong, the office would have called right away. I hope he took pictures of my tonsils after he removed them. After my surgery, he told my husband that the right tonsil was 10 times larger than the left one. I'd like to see what that looks like. I don't even know what size a normal tonsil is.
I think everything is okay, and I'm very glad to be rid of them. If the test results are good, I won't be thinking about the possibility of tonsil cancer anymore. And if the test results are bad, hopefully it was caught while something can still be done about it.
So, while I don't really think asymetrical tonsils are exactly normal, it doesn't necessarily mean that there's anything terribly wrong, either.
Thanks for your response. Well I noticed my right is bigger then left, and I am also a non smoker as well. I have never smoked. But when I get a chest infection it lasts forever on me though, thats the only thing. And I do get that white stuff in the larger tonsil as well. Its horrid smell and I pushed it out and then rinsed with salt water. I think its food thats getting caught in there, yucky yuck! ewwww. Plus I didnt mention that I also have suffered from severe hayfever for years which doesnt help and has probably weakened the tonsils. Cause I get itchy throat with hayfever to and if I get any dust in throat I cough like crazy until the point of the tonsil becoming sore and swollen.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
That white stuff isn't trapped food. It's a sign of infection. I battled chronic tonsilitis for years and at age 35 had mine removed. Similar story to that above -- the ENT indicated that the one side was larger than a golf ball -- was FULL of that white stuff that no amount of antibiotic would get rid of and that the infection went very deep. Was the best decision I've ever made, just wish I'd done it sooner. Was so self conscious about my breath or having those white curds break loose when I was talking. Bleah.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratatosk
That white stuff isn't trapped food. It's a sign of infection. I battled chronic tonsilitis for years and at age 35 had mine removed. Similar story to that above -- the ENT indicated that the one side was larger than a golf ball -- was FULL of that white stuff that no amount of antibiotic would get rid of and that the infection went very deep. Was the best decision I've ever made, just wish I'd done it sooner. Was so self conscious about my breath or having those white curds break loose when I was talking. Bleah.
ok thanks for telling me. wasnt sure really. I read on net somewhere it was trapped food, but I did think it was strange really.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
I'm the 58 year old who responded earlier. My right tonsil was 10 times larger than my left one. Well, my post-tonsillectomy appointment was yesterday. My test results were benign. (YAY!) My giant tonsil had sulfur crystals in it. They are caused by bacteria and they cause bad breath and inflammation.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by choirgirl
I'm the 58 year old who responded earlier. My right tonsil was 10 times larger than my left one. Well, my post-tonsillectomy appointment was yesterday. My test results were benign. (YAY!) My giant tonsil had sulfur crystals in it. They are caused by bacteria and they cause bad breath and inflammation.
Thats good for you. I guess what I have are these tonsil stone things then, I had bit more caught earlier. I may have same as you then.
About 2-3 month ago my tonsil on the right really hurt when I swallowed and was red and sore. Now the left one is hurting red and swollen. I am 42 years old. I have always been prone to throat and chest infections.
Advice?
Do you think that I need to have my tonsils out?
I was told its more painful when you are older to?
I suffer also with hay fever so that does not help.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by choirgirl
For the majority of my life (I'm 58), neither tonsil was ever swollen. Several years ago, my right tonsil showed up and I would occasionally spit out one/some of those foul-smelling things. I asked my ENT about it and he said, "You don't want to have your tonsils out as an adult." He seemed unconcerned because I'm a non-smoker.
Fast forward to this spring. I had my throat scoped for other reasons and asked him once again about the large tonsil. Another bump had shown up above the swollen right tonsil. The ENT said it was part of the tonsil and that since I'm a non-smoker, a malignancy was highly unlikely. When I returned to the ENT a couple of months later, he said the size of the tonsil hadn't changed and we should just watch it...malignancy was highly unlikely. I explained to him that my father was one of 7 siblings, 6 of whom died of cancer, and none of them had the same kind of cancer. He said, "Then you've got the gene. You should probably have them out."
I had my tonsillectomy on July 23. Recovery has been coming along nicely. My post-op appointment is this Friday. I'll ask about the test results then, but I'm pretty confident that everything was okay. According to an acquaintance who has the same ENT, if anything was wrong, the office would have called right away. I hope he took pictures of my tonsils after he removed them. After my surgery, he told my husband that the right tonsil was 10 times larger than the left one. I'd like to see what that looks like. I don't even know what size a normal tonsil is.
I think everything is okay, and I'm very glad to be rid of them. If the test results are good, I won't be thinking about the possibility of tonsil cancer anymore. And if the test results are bad, hopefully it was caught while something can still be done about it.
So, while I don't really think asymetrical tonsils are exactly normal, it doesn't necessarily mean that there's anything terribly wrong, either.
How are you going after having them removed? How long was it before you could swallow properly with no pain? Did they have to stitch in your mouth after having them removed. I at the moment have another tonsil pain again, the right one this time. its swollen and hurts when I swallow.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
It's been two months since my tonsillectomy and I'm doing great. At my 4 week post-op appointment, my ENT said there was still some redness and roughness, but I think that's all gone now. I see him again on October 1st. My throat still feels a little odd when I swallow, but since it's really empty back there now (even part of my uvula is missing), I guess that's not surprising. Something I'll get used to with time, I imagine.
The pain was really quite manageable. I don't remember exactly when I could swallow without any pain at all, probably somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks, but the only time swallowing was really, really painful was when the "scabs" were coming off on Days 7 and 8. I know that from Day 9 on, things just got better and better. I switched from the strong meds to Tylenol on Day 10. From Day 12 to Day 14, I took Tylenol only at bedtime, just in case my throat would dry out when I was asleep and start hurting, but I think I would have done fine without it. Since then, I haven't taken anything at all.
I didn't have any stitches.
I think I answered the "what was it" question on August 21, but I'll repeat it for you. It was not cancerous. The giant tonsil contained sulfur crystals which are caused by bacteria. The sulfur crystals caused bad breath and inflammation. So, apparently, it was just an infected tonsil. So now I have an empty throat and peace of mind.
Are you having infections or possibly a yeast infection around your tonsils?
Have you seen an ENT regarding your infections and have you been on medications?
q
Thanks for reply and in answer to your questions is NO on both. All the doctor said before was use salt water. But if this carries on to next week I will go to doctors again. Cause its very painful and swollen and hurts when I eat or drink.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by choirgirl
It's been two months since my tonsillectomy and I'm doing great. At my 4 week post-op appointment, my ENT said there was still some redness and roughness, but I think that's all gone now. I see him again on October 1st. My throat still feels a little odd when I swallow, but since it's really empty back there now (even part of my uvula is missing), I guess that's not surprising. Something I'll get used to with time, I imagine.
The pain was really quite manageable. I don't remember exactly when I could swallow without any pain at all, probably somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks, but the only time swallowing was really, really painful was when the "scabs" were coming off on Days 7 and 8. I know that from Day 9 on, things just got better and better. I switched from the strong meds to Tylenol on Day 10. From Day 12 to Day 14, I took Tylenol only at bedtime, just in case my throat would dry out when I was asleep and start hurting, but I think I would have done fine without it. Since then, I haven't taken anything at all.
I didn't have any stitches.
I think I answered the "what was it" question on August 21, but I'll repeat it for you. It was not cancerous. The giant tonsil contained sulfur crystals which are caused by bacteria. The sulfur crystals caused bad breath and inflammation. So, apparently, it was just an infected tonsil. So now I have an empty throat and peace of mind.
Can I ask, what country you are in? Are you in the UK?
Cause I was told that they stopped doing tonsil ops removal in UK on adults.
I am in UK. Well my left tonsil hurts and is swollen and red. 2mth ago it was my right one. That stuff you mention in your tonsil, I also get that as well. Or have gotten it before.
Do you think that maybe I need mine out then? I am prone to throat and chest infections?
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
I live in the United States.
Was it a doctor who told you that they stopped doing adult tonsillectomies in the UK? If it wasn't a doctor, I wouldn't take their word for it. I'd ask a doctor. The HealthBoards poster called squirrelgirl24 is from the UK and recently had a tonsillectomy. I assume she is an adult.
I don't know whether you should have your tonsils out or not. That's something for you and your doctor to decide. But if you have a lot of throat trouble, it's something to consider.
Re: My right tonsil is larger then my left - is this normal?
Quote:
Originally Posted by choirgirl
I live in the United States.
Was it a doctor who told you that they stopped doing adult tonsillectomies in the UK? If it wasn't a doctor, I wouldn't take their word for it. I'd ask a doctor. The HealthBoards poster called squirrelgirl24 is from the UK and recently had a tonsillectomy. I assume she is an adult.
I don't know whether you should have your tonsils out or not. That's something for you and your doctor to decide. But if you have a lot of throat trouble, it's something to consider.
Well if it dont ease I will go docs moz, its always the way that I end up with it over weekend when the panel docs are not working.
