white substance coming from throat gland...

[Becci_h]

one day i felt something funny in my mouth when i woke up. i got it out and it was this little glob of off-white stuff. kind of firm but not hard. smelt funny (like nothing i've smelt before - and not a good funny!)

i looked in my mouth with a torch and at the back - on the side of my throat (level with the dongle bit in the centre / roof of mouth) - the section just before the tonsils - i saw the same whitish stuff sitting there. i went to scrap it off gently with my nail but as i put a bit of pressure on the side of where the white bit was, more came out. it came from a hole in the side, which is still there now.

I didn't have a sore throat when this first happened, but it's happened on the other side of my mouth now - a couple of times. i do have a sore throat and slightly swollen glands now - and i don't know if it's related but it's not actually sore where the hole is.

does anyone know what on earth this is?

i am fairly sure it isn't my tonsils. i think they are slightly further back. it's not pus or a cist / abcess gone bad etc - because it is the same looking, feeling, smelling thing each time and from the exact same location on either side of the mouth... can anyone at all help?

[spk]

Ive had that before ages ago and went to the doctor. Its some kind of infection- nothing major but you need antibiotics to make it go away. Nothing to worry about just nip to your gp and you will be grand x

[Becci_h]

Thanks spk. I have made an appointment with my doctor - but it's not for a few days yet. you have put my mind at rest though - i was thinking i was leaking something i shouldn't be (daft I know!)

[spk]

I was the same I was really worried ! Not that common but nothing bad at all. Glad I helped hun x

[Scarlett]

This is tonsillitis. The tonsils act like soldiers on guard, reacting to any germs/bacteria that try to get in your system through your mouth. So they react and inflame and produce white stuff. It is just your body fighting infection. It is best not to touch the stuff, as if you have dirt on your fingers, you are bound to make the infection worse. The "hole" is little pits that we have on the tonsils. It's like the surface of the moon. the white stuff collects in there.

Best thing to do is gargle with salt water, which will kill any infection; gargle with soluble asprin for the pain, and it will go away in it's own time. Try to avoid passing it on to anyone else too!

[sloggue]

Sometimes the tonsils can develop small fissures or holes that can fill up with food debris. This can smell pretty revolting as it basically stagnates. If left untreated you can develop throat infections. This sounds very much like your problem.

I work in a dental surgery and I've seen it a few times. Sometimes it is advisable to have the tonsils removed if it is a recurring problem.

Hope this helps! X

[dove]

quincies? (sp)

[crisgal]

Ooh, I've had a quinsy. Now you'd know about it if you had one of them bu**ers! Hope I never get one again. Ever!

[Becci_h]

Thanks for your advise people. I'm still not sold on the tonsilitis theory though - The holes are pretty uniform - as in they are the same on both sides. same loaction, shape, size etc so not likely to be pits which infection form in (although i am starting to come round to the idea it is some kind of infection). also, the stuff that gathers there is not like pus or anything like that - it's very weird. definatly not food gone bad. I've cleared it and the exact same stuff came back - a number of times. I can see the hole when it's clear. the hole goes down and away somwhere (like a tunnel) - not a pit (unless its a deep one). Whats a quinsy?

[Becci_h]

PS. I went to the walk-in centre last night. the nurse said she couldn't see anything, my throat was clear and to run along home and eat paracetamol. she would even let me see the doctor. so that was helpful...NOT

[happy_face]

Hi becci_h

I know exactly what you're talking about. It happens to me once in a blue moon but have experienced it since a child. I don't have any throat infection and it's never associated with it either. As a child I remember once chewing the white bit and it was foul I tell you. My mum explained to me she also had it sometimes and that it was just some kind of deposit from your throat/tonsils. I have never had a medical explanation but my boyfriend gets it too. I don't think there's anything to worry about and think it's quite 'normal'.

Take Care

[happy_face]

Oh and I just found this

http://www.ofcn.org/cyber.serv/hwp/hwc/ent/news/ent454.html

you might find this interesting

[Becci_h]

Thanks Happy_Face - the article you found is exactlly what I got in my throat. Pretty gross really! but at least I know it's not something harmful.

Also Thanks to Sloggue - I was sceptical of your suggestion before I read the article because I didn't see how it could always be the same shape, colour and smell etc each time... but apparently it can.

So taking on all the advise - the consensus seems to be to adopt a vigorous mouth care routine - garggling mouth wash and salt-water regularly. hopefully this fixs it and I don't need my tonsils out... I am quite attached to them! (or them to me...?)

Once again - Thanks to all !!

[crisgal]

a quincy is a boil type lump in the throat. I knew instantly I woke up that this was no ordinary sore throat!

Any way, the doc said that they swell until either they block the throat and you can't breathe or burst and the pus is poisonous if swallowed!

So all in all, it was quite a memorable week!

[Becci_h]

nice !

[dove]

chrisgal I had that last week, how scary. Thought i honestly was dying. Even four days after medicine I was still scared to speak in case the (whatever it is called) long thing at the back of your throat , came back up onto my tongue again. nasty nasty

[crisgal]

you have my sympathies, dove!

the only thing is, after you've had one, every time you get even the mildest of sore throats, you think it's going to come back. I don't think there's much chance but you certainly never forget it!

Hey, at least we didn't have to have them lanced!

[anna1974]

I have suffered from quincy, tonsilitis etc all my life. Was told "get rid of them" (tonsils) but no way! this was when i was 10yrs!!! I am now 31!!!! I made my 3 yr old daughter take them out! (but hers was so severe she was getting malnurished, & weak she could not eat much due to them being permanently large!!!!)

5 days ago I found just a one single perfectly rounded white spot on the tonsil (like you would get with bad tonsilitis) Yes I felt more tired thatn usual, but no pain or anything. I tried to get it off with a cotton bud, no joy so went to bed. Next morning, I brush my teeth and as you do, took a look, it had gone! In its place a hole, where it had been. Never in all the years ive had these infections, (and I avarage 2 a year bare in mind. No I will not get them out! I will wait for my 8 year old son to get them out first lol sad but true, what a coward am I!!!) have I seen this before!

So day before yesturday, I was prescribed Penicillin VK 250mg 2 to be taken 4 times a day. Well by today, I am doubled up in pain, stomach cramps, like your hungry, but when you eat, the food agrivates your stomach. could I be allergic to the damn tabs? this happens all the time with these ones, and yet I still accept them cause at that moment in time, I am desperate for Anything,

I am really weak too, my legs like led, body ache all over. and I just want the dark. So many times been blood tested for Glandular fever but it turns out that I dont have that. Therefore after reading up (no I did not mention this to doctor, was too worried, as i had not seen it before, thought better to ignore it) My mind is somewhat at rest. Back to docs for me tomorrow, for new tabs, cause these aint doing me any good.

Take care all

Anna

[chrisy_17]

Hi Becci_h, Iam going though the same thing. I have the same symthoms as you but I always either feel sick, dissy/light headed. Do you ever feel this way at all? My hole in my right tonsil is huge. It takes up the hole tonsil almost. The whitish stuff only came out twice. My thoat is starting to be sore all time now. I just wanted to tell you that you aren't the alone and hoping that you could answer some of my questions. I would really be greatful. Sorry I couldn't help you.

[Godz_2k6]

I got quincy throat a few days ago. Went to the docs because penicilin and co-codamol werent strong enough. wen i got ther he told me because i couldnt open my mouth wide enough i had to go to hospital to have my tonsils drained.

when i got to the hospital the doc checked me over and told me i was being emitted.... i ended up on a drip untill the swelling went down. currently on medication but if my throat fills up agen i have to get my throat drained....a camera down my throat and mabye my tonsils removed.

[JohnGalt]

I have this exact same thing. I have had it happen to me for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I feel something in the back of my mouth with my tongue and in the mirror I can see a small whitish object in a crevice back there.

After a while I learned that I could remove it by reaching a finger in and opening the crevice a bit and sort of pushing it out. Sometimes there is quite a bit, and it is very gross. Doesn't seem to cause any problems though, except that you have to be careful putting your finger back there as your tonsils seem to be sensitive and can become sore if you poke around too much.