I know this is late but I just ran across this site. I noticed this problem for the first time about two months ago. I did alot of research and ordered a book about this. The problem is actually caused by dairy products(explanation for the color of the stones). Ice cream, cake cheese, milk, pizza, cheeseburgers and such. I am an ice cream fanatic so when I found this out I was heart broken but I have to say it really works. No matter what else you do to try and get rid of the stones as long as you continue to eat these products they will eventually come back. Now just because people eat dairy does not meant that they have or will get tonsil stones, it just depends on how your body intakes and digest dairy. Some people do not have this problem even though they eat dairy because their bodies can digest it. It's kinda like being lactose intolerant which is not always a problem that you have since childhood. This problem can develop well into adulthood which really sucks for me because I faithfully ate ice cream everyday! When your body can't properly digest dairy it gets stored in the nose and throat, which starts to build up and harden(calcification) and gets mixed with bacteria. Anyway none the less I decided to stop eating dairy products for a while just to see if it worked and it did. You don't realize how many stones you actually have until they all start to come out. It takes two to four weeks for them to completely disappear but you will start to see them after about a week. Continue abstaining from dairy and the stones that were hidden will start to surface and you can use a water irrigator filled with warm salt water to flush them out or just take a q-tip or something solid and apply pressure around the openings of the tonsils and they will pop out. It really has worked for me but I think I am having a withdrawal symptoms from no ice cream. I still continue to use warm salt water everyday just to be safe but they have not came back. Water jet syringes can be found at amazon.com for as cheap as 0.99. There are plenty of vegetables that provide a great source of calcium. It is not easy to stop dairy cold turkey but it is at least worth it for a while to see if this works for you. Honestly as much as I love ice cream I would rather give it up than to have tonsil stones. The book also said for those who don't eat dairy but still have them, tonsil stones may be a cause of gluten-intolerance. I spent the money on the book just for it to tell me to stop eating dairy so hopefully this will help someone else and save them some money.
So based on what I've read so far this is my conclusion:
- Tonsil Stones are caused by a mixture of bacteria, post nasal drip (the mucous in the back of your throat), and a possible intolerance to dairy which makes the mucous thicker.
- Each person has unique tonsils. Some people have very deep crypts while others do not. It seems that those with deeper crypts have more difficulty removing the stones than those who have shallow ones. (I know this is a "duh" statement. I'm just observing why certain things work for some people and not for others).
- Methods of removal (perhaps from least extreme to most extreme)
- Coughing up stones
- While flexing neck, swallow. Apparently this can squeeze out stones.
- Rinsing with mouthwash or warm salt water
- Using a Q-tip to squeeze out stones by pushing Q-tip from bottom of tonsil to top
- Using toothpick or similar object to dig out stone (ouch. Probably not the best idea. Causes bleeding and swelling)
- Using a water-pick flush out stones
- Using Hydrogen Peroxide dissolve stone with q-tip
- Buy TheraBreath treatment or similar product
- Get tonsils removed surgically
- Methods of prevention
- Fast from dairy to see if this helps. If so, reduce dairy intake. Do the same with sugar and sugar substitutes.
- Gargle daily with warm salt-water or mouthwash with strong alcohol content. Drink warm sugarless tea often to thin mucous.
- Take antibiotics to kill the infection(though most said this doesn't keep them away forever).
- Take allergy meds to reduce post nasal drip.
- Get tonsils removed surgically
I have recently discovered that I have this problem, though I know I've had it for years and just didn't realize it. And for the past two days I have had something in my throat and it is driving me crazy. The only problem is that I've squeezed the stones out of my tonsils tonight and I think I've gotten them all. But I still feel whatever it is in my throat. It feels further back than my tonsils, further than I can see if I open my mouth. Like, right over the edge of my tongue where my throat bends vertically. A few people have talked about this. It's not in the very back of my mouth where my tonsils are. It's down in my throat and I can't cough it up and I can't reach it. It is so annoying I want to scream (Hey maybe that would get it out...alas. It didn't).
So my questions are these: Do your tonsils extend down that far? Do you have similar cavities in that part of your throat where the same thing can happen? Could it simply be normal tonsil stones tricking me into thinking it is further down than it really is?
It seems like the only permanent solution is to remove my tonsils (I can't give up ice-cream and cheese forever!) but what if I still get it down in my throat?
- Tonsil Stones are caused by a mixture of bacteria, post nasal drip (the mucous in the back of your throat), and a possible intolerance to dairy which makes the mucous thicker.
- Each person has unique tonsils. Some people have very deep crypts while others do not. It seems that those with deeper crypts have more difficulty removing the stones than those who have shallow ones. (I know this is a "duh" statement. I'm just observing why certain things work for some people and not for others).
- Methods of removal (perhaps from least extreme to most extreme)
- Coughing up stones
- While flexing neck, swallow. Apparently this can squeeze out stones.
- Rinsing with mouthwash or warm salt water
- Using a Q-tip to squeeze out stones by pushing Q-tip from bottom of tonsil to top
- Using toothpick or similar object to dig out stone (ouch. Probably not the best idea. Causes bleeding and swelling)
- Using a water-pick flush out stones
- Using Hydrogen Peroxide dissolve stone with q-tip
- Buy TheraBreath treatment or similar product
- Get tonsils removed surgically
- Methods of prevention
- Fast from dairy to see if this helps. If so, reduce dairy intake. Do the same with sugar and sugar substitutes.
- Gargle daily with warm salt-water or mouthwash with strong alcohol content. Drink warm sugarless tea often to thin mucous.
- Take antibiotics to kill the infection(though most said this doesn't keep them away forever).
- Take allergy meds to reduce post nasal drip.
- Get tonsils removed surgically
I have recently discovered that I have this problem, though I know I've had it for years and just didn't realize it. And for the past two days I have had something in my throat and it is driving me crazy. The only problem is that I've squeezed the stones out of my tonsils tonight and I think I've gotten them all. But I still feel whatever it is in my throat. It feels further back than my tonsils, further than I can see if I open my mouth. Like, right over the edge of my tongue where my throat bends vertically. A few people have talked about this. It's not in the very back of my mouth where my tonsils are. It's down in my throat and I can't cough it up and I can't reach it. It is so annoying I want to scream (Hey maybe that would get it out...alas. It didn't).
So my questions are these: Do your tonsils extend down that far? Do you have similar cavities in that part of your throat where the same thing can happen? Could it simply be normal tonsil stones tricking me into thinking it is further down than it really is?
It seems like the only permanent solution is to remove my tonsils (I can't give up ice-cream and cheese forever!) but what if I still get it down in my throat?
I have been going through the same thing - feeling something stuck back there (on one side usually) but I can't see it in the mirror. As you said, it feels like it's right over the edge of my tongue and can't get to it. It's driving me nuts! To answer your question about whether the tonsils extend that far down...I recently had a CT scan of my throat, since my ENT did not see any stones using the throat scope. Apparently, tonsils do extend further down and can have stones that are out of sight, as it turns out mine do.
Anyone feeling the sensation of stones but can't see them may want to ask their ENT about getting a CT scan. My doctor was surprised at how large my tonsils were further down, as they don't look that big on normal throat inspection. I haven't scheduled the surgery yet, but I'm seriously considering it.
Anyone feeling the sensation of stones but can't see them may want to ask their ENT about getting a CT scan. My doctor was surprised at how large my tonsils were further down, as they don't look that big on normal throat inspection. I haven't scheduled the surgery yet, but I'm seriously considering it.
I used to have tonsils stones, then i had my tonsils taken out! For the first couple of days it hurt sooo much, but now on day 6 the pain is starting to go away! I'm so glad i had my tonsils removed! In a couple more days i will be fully recovered and tonsil stone free! YIPEEEE!!
Over the past couple months I've been getting these tonsil stones. They're so gross!! At first I tried the Q-tip technique, and the finger technique and sometimes my tonsils would end up bleeding. My latest "trick" is to use my finger to loosen up any stones so they're visible, then use an air duster aerosol (the kind for computers) with the long straw and aim right at the sucker. Pull the trigger, and oila, tonsil stone goes flying. Only thing is on rare occasions you have to spray repeatedly to get it and the aerosol leaves a gross taste in your mouth, but brushing right after fixes it.
I've read through many of your problems andd complaints about your throat stones. Many of you experience similar problems. My mother has been diagnosed with throat stones as well. She experiences the constant coughing or chokey feeling as she says. She has post nasal drip as some of you do, and i believe that she may have scarring in her throat from acid reflux disease/ gird. I am currently studying to become a nurse. I'm in my first year of the program, and being that this problem you all face is very personal to me because my mom shares in you dilemma, I will be sure to post any of my findings on this, or any of your remedies.
I do know that inside our mouths are things called normal flora, or noraml bacteria that wont cause harm to the place its "normally" found. Risk of changing the pH levels of your mouth by contant gargling or hydrogenperoxide use can cause an imbalance of these flora and cause other problems to occur.
I will have my mom try some of your remedies, and I will report their success or unsuccess, but remember everyone is different and their bodies react differently as well so just because something may not work for one person doesnt mean it may be inaffective for you as well. Best of luck for all of you. I feel distressed by your discomfort, and wish there was something I could do. Only time will tell whether or not I can be helpful.
I do know that inside our mouths are things called normal flora, or noraml bacteria that wont cause harm to the place its "normally" found. Risk of changing the pH levels of your mouth by contant gargling or hydrogenperoxide use can cause an imbalance of these flora and cause other problems to occur.
I will have my mom try some of your remedies, and I will report their success or unsuccess, but remember everyone is different and their bodies react differently as well so just because something may not work for one person doesnt mean it may be inaffective for you as well. Best of luck for all of you. I feel distressed by your discomfort, and wish there was something I could do. Only time will tell whether or not I can be helpful.
They are gross and they stink i thought it was just a build up of plaque. I just brushed them off and would just cough them up after a few days. Its just very annoying to have to deal with them and i was always embarrassed to kiss my boyfriend especially in the morning YUCK!!!
These things are beyond gross. I now realize I've always been getting them (very small ones) but in the past, I'd just coughed or sneezed them up and assumed they were bits of food. This past week I noticed something in the back of my throat, and after talking to some people and looking at some google images, I came to the conclusion that I had mono. I went to the doctor, and though she didn't know what it was, she tested me for mono and strep and both came up negative. Finally, last night, I decided to take a closer look, and after a while of poking it with a Q-tip, it just came out. It wasn't sore and it didn't hurt, contrary to what some other people are saying. I was so grossed out and confused that I immediately consulted google and found all of this business about tonsil stones. However, it did not smell particularly bad, and no one's ever mentioned anything to me about bad breath before. Is it possible to have these and not have an issue with halitosis? Also, I've been feeling very fatigued since I found that large tonsil stone (hence why I thought I might have mono). Is it possible that tonsil stones can be related to fatigue? Thanks.
I only just started with this problem ive been ill for over a week with a sore throat and a really chesty cough. i went to the doctor he said there was nothing there. i decided to look myself i used a magnifying glass and notised white dots i thought that was tonsilitis, i started to poke them with the end of a bobby pin that i stretched out and they just came away , the holes they came out of just seem to be getting bigger and bigger! i have managed to clean out the holes and i have read all the other posts on here, ive never had it before and i was wondering if anyone knew if i felt better and my sore throat went would they stop, cause i have a phobia of hospitals and i really dont want to have my tonsils removed!
Please help
Thanks
I think you saw the video ,which deals the forming of tonsil stones and the simply way of how to remove stones?it is a common phenomenon found in human being.in my experience,you should avoid cold and chilled foods.it will irritate your tonsils and it will prevent the stones to go out,and u will checkout your tonsils every day before and and after takes your brushing.thank you by sivin.
Yes I used to get them evry month or so, maybe even a few months would pass between coughing up a tonsil stone. I noticed that when i smoke more often, they show up more often but i've never really had problems with bad breath. Also when i was younger i got them too (before ever smoking, thats when they occured every few months) I think everyone gets them and it's a normal body funtion. We just seem to be more aware of what comes out when we cough or sneeze. Don't worry it's not very serious for most people who get tonsil stones.
I had my tonsils removed in 2007 due to the tonsil stones. My tonsils were deep pocketed and I was getting ulcers from removing the stones. I also would get a really sore throat every 3-4 weeks, along with achiness, chills, and ear aches. Once I had my tonsils removed, my sore throats don't last no longer than 1-2 days. It was one of the best decisions I made. My ENT said they were some of the worst tonsil stones he had ever seen.
If You took anti-biotics,You must take some good pro-biotics to replace the good bacteria or You will develop stomach problems.
If You took anti-biotics,You must take some good pro-biotics to replace the good bacteria or You will develop stomach problems.
If you coughed up something that had a bad odor , its tonsil stones, when you eat the food could get trapped in holes near the sides of your throat, its horrible and i think it might be the same reason i have a "lump in my throat" feeling.