a theory about tonsil stones- a little graphic

03-20-2004, 10:25 PM

.................

03-21-2004, 10:22 AM

Hrmm.

What exactly are "tonsil stones"? I've heard of "tonsils", but never "tonsil stones". Is that something like Gall Stones that form in your gallbladder, only they form inside your tonsils or something?

Quote:

Originally Posted by julia_girl

Well I once posted on the original TS post about getting tonsil stones. Having never had one before it was quite a shock. I started using my grapefruit seed extract and that seemed to help as I had no more problems for a quite awhile. However, I recently have had a few more very small ones. I haven't been using the GSE as much in the past little while but have started again. I am getting freaked out about these things wondering how common this really is. My tonsils are smallish but do have large holes. I always get a faint taste in my mouth when I develop one, and I am starting to get paranoid about having bad breath even though it seems fine to me, and my tongue is clean and pink. Tried the waterpik thing but it was a disaster. I end up poking at my tonsils without finding anything usually and then they bleed and leave me with a sore throat. What I was curious about was why I started to get these things. I developed one for the first time around the same time that I got my first ever yeast infection, so I thought maybe there was a connection there. However, I also had some allergies although no post nasal drip. Plus I had had these allergies for awhile so not so sure about this one. Anyway, I really only started getting these problems (TS and recurrent yeast infections) after I started having sex with my fiance. I have found that if I allow him to ejaculate inside of me I tend to get a yeast infection.Also, if I give him oral sex and swallow, I tend to get a sore throat and sometimes a small tonsil stone. Now this may be simply coincidence but I am not doing either anymore to be sure. I would hate to think that my tonsils are just full of these things waiting to come out! They don't normally feel like it. How many of you actually get these now and then and worry about it like i am starting to do???!!!

03-24-2004, 03:39 PM

Julia--I get tonsil stones too, and yes I worry about my breath all the time. I have gotten them off and on for years (since I was a kid). I had a pretty bad bout of them a few months back, and I discovered that my prescription nasal spray (astelin and flonase) seemed to make them worse.

I too get yeast infections from semen (it really sucks, doesn't it?). My doctor said this is common. I haven't noticed any tonsil stones from swallowing it. I guess I have never noticed a connection between the two, or between yeast infections and tonsil stones, but there may very well be a connection. I think doctors are used to looking at the one body part that is sick and not really connecting it with any other parts of your body. I have a feeling there are many different causes to tonsil stones, but no one who is in the position to research them cares enough to do it.

You should probably see a doctor. A doctor probably won't know about the tonsil stones, but at least see a gyno about the yeast infections. Good luck!

katyana--They are basically white smelly chunks of crud that form in your tonsils. There are several extensive posts about them on here. You can probably find them by doing a search.

03-25-2004, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsLee

I have a feeling there are many different causes to tonsil stones, but no one who is in the position to research them cares enough to do it.

Actually, there is a product called therabreath that purports to deal with them. I haven't had much success with it, though. I have been tempted to try a waterpic for dislodging tonsil stones. I sometimes wonder if the blunt force trauma caused by digging my finger back there, and the resultant bleeding, are actually exaserbating the problem.

03-26-2004, 06:02 AM

Well my goodness, I have these! I have had them on and off for years also, just thinking it was a food build up or something! Wow, I cannot believe how common they are after reading about them. I use a q-tip, tooth pick, my finger, etc. I have a very bad sense of smell (olfactory glands never matured), so I cannot tell you if they smell foul, but I am sure they do. Thanks for posting about this, it is interesting to read. I have had less occurances since having children, I have to wonder if/how that is related! Thanks

cancungal

03-26-2004, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cancungal

Well my goodness, I have these! I have had them on and off for years also, just thinking it was a food build up or something! Wow, I cannot believe how common they are after reading about them. I use a q-tip, tooth pick, my finger, etc. I have a very bad sense of smell (olfactory glands never matured), so I cannot tell you if they smell foul, but I am sure they do. Thanks for posting about this, it is interesting to read. I have had less occurances since having children, I have to wonder if/how that is related! Thanks

cancungal

Funny you should mention about having them less after having children. I used to have them a lot, but haven't had any since my 1y/o was born. I didn't make the connection. I used to get them out with a clean(washed throughly in hot water) bobby pin, the "u" shaped part. That worked better than any thing else I've tried.

03-26-2004, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarlett H

Funny you should mention about having them less after having children. I used to have them a lot, but haven't had any since my 1y/o was born. I didn't make the connection. I used to get them out with a clean(washed throughly in hot water) bobby pin, the "u" shaped part. That worked better than any thing else I've tried.

I have these as well, as do several members of my family AND several friends. Before I was brave enough to 'mention' them to anyone, I thought I was all ALONE! Sounds like EVERYONE has them! haha Okay, I dubbed them 'brain chunks'!!! haha Isn't that funny?? They are HORRID little whitish, even kind of grayish at times, little chunks that lodge (TIGHTLY at times) in the holes in your tonsils. Mine always felt like I had a popcorn kernel stuck in my throat. I rarely get them now after years of having them. My theory on mine finally going away is this-I think the holes in your tonsils get so big, they just no longer form in there. Like the holes aren't tight enough to hold them in or something. They are DISGUSTING and I am so happy mine are or seem to be gone. They smell like the nastiest thing imaginable! As far as bad breath associated with people having them, I don't think that is so. I know several people that get them and have NEVER noticed them as having bad breath. Maybe that will give you reassurance.(those of you that worry over the breath issue)

03-27-2004, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcinok

I have these as well, as do several members of my family AND several friends. Before I was brave enough to 'mention' them to anyone, I thought I was all ALONE! Sounds like EVERYONE has them! haha Okay, I dubbed them 'brain chunks'!!! haha Isn't that funny?? They are HORRID little whitish, even kind of grayish at times, little chunks that lodge (TIGHTLY at times) in the holes in your tonsils. Mine always felt like I had a popcorn kernel stuck in my throat. I rarely get them now after years of having them. My theory on mine finally going away is this-I think the holes in your tonsils get so big, they just no longer form in there. Like the holes aren't tight enough to hold them in or something. They are DISGUSTING and I am so happy mine are or seem to be gone. They smell like the nastiest thing imaginable! As far as bad breath associated with people having them, I don't think that is so. I know several people that get them and have NEVER noticed them as having bad breath. Maybe that will give you reassurance.(those of you that worry over the breath issue)

I get these ALL the time. They are so disgusting. I find that trying to dislodge them with a q-tip is the best, but sometimes it takes a while, and you might gag on it. Swallowing the stones is the worst feeling.. (to me anyway).

03-27-2004, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by julia_girl

Well I once posted on the original TS post about getting tonsil stones. Having never had one before it was quite a shock. I started using my grapefruit seed extract and that seemed to help as I had no more problems for a quite awhile. However, I recently have had a few more very small ones. I haven't been using the GSE as much in the past little while but have started again. I am getting freaked out about these things wondering how common this really is. My tonsils are smallish but do have large holes. I always get a faint taste in my mouth when I develop one, and I am starting to get paranoid about having bad breath even though it seems fine to me, and my tongue is clean and pink. Tried the waterpik thing but it was a disaster. I end up poking at my tonsils without finding anything usually and then they bleed and leave me with a sore throat. What I was curious about was why I started to get these things. I developed one for the first time around the same time that I got my first ever yeast infection, so I thought maybe there was a connection there. However, I also had some allergies although no post nasal drip. Plus I had had these allergies for awhile so not so sure about this one. Anyway, I really only started getting these problems (TS and recurrent yeast infections) after I started having sex with my fiance. I have found that if I allow him to ejaculate inside of me I tend to get a yeast infection.Also, if I give him oral sex and swallow, I tend to get a sore throat and sometimes a small tonsil stone. Now this may be simply coincidence but I am not doing either anymore to be sure. I would hate to think that my tonsils are just full of these things waiting to come out! They don't normally feel like it. How many of you actually get these now and then and worry about it like i am starting to do???!!!

Sometimes you just have a reaction to it. I have had girlfriends who got them when they do this and some don't. It also can be a cleanliness issue.

03-29-2004, 03:32 PM

How can it be a cleanliness issue?

03-30-2004, 09:16 AM

Hmmm, Same here.

03-30-2004, 05:49 PM

I have fought the nasty tonsil stones all my adult life (in my 30's now). There are some extensive threads about them on this sight, just do a search on tonsil stones, or white spots on tonsils, etc. I came to the conclusion a long time ago, from doing my own research & reading, that they are clumps of naturally-ocurring bacteria/chemicals (some of which contains sulphur - hence the nasty smell) and seem to occur in people who have post nasal drip and large tonsil pockets. The bacteria/chemicals from the post nasal drip and the back of the throat accumulates in the tonsil pockets and forms into these "clumps". When the tonsil pockets get packed, the clumps start "popping out". I have found that most doctors just "blow them off" as nothing....but they obviously don't have to live with them.

a theory about tonsil stones- a little graphic

Sign Up Today!

Join Our Newsletter

Whoops,

Thank You