It's not the soreness that bothers me. It's the not knowing.

December 19, 2009 7:25 PM

Why are my adenoids sore?

My adenoids are very sore and the area around them is tender to the touch. I don't have any cold symptoms.

posted by mmmbacon to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

Uh, how are you touching them? Are you sure you're not talking about your tonsils, maybe?
posted by amro at 7:53 PM on December 19, 2009

Response by poster: Gah, I do mean tonsil.
My neck is sore to the touch by one tonsil.
It does not look red or infected.

I've had tonsil infections before but I never remembered them hurting.
posted by mmmbacon at 8:01 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Probably a tonsilith. Happens to me once in awhile too. I had strep throat millions of times as a kid, and so my tonsils are like the surface of the moon.

To remove them I generally just reach back there and press on them, something eventually pops out, and it smells like hot rotting garbage. It's awful. It'll hurt for another day, but then it's all good.
posted by sanka at 8:05 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Doesn't sound like tonsils either. Sounds like lymph nodes. But yeah, we can't really tell you why. See a doctor.
posted by amro at 8:10 PM on December 19, 2009

Is your throat also sore? It could be a swollen lymph node due to an infection in the throat, but yeah, unfortunately this is something for which you need to see a doctor. The doctor will probably take a throat culture to see what type of infection it is and will possibly prescribe antibiotics. Feel better soon.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:27 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]