What do I do about this weird dangly lump on my tonsil?

June 18, 2015 1:34 PM

Weird health problem denizens of Metafilter! I have a question.

I have tonsil stones, so I look at my tonsils like every damn day. Today, I discovered a polyp-looking thing hanging off one of my tonsils. What the what?!?

It doesn't hurt. I don't have a sore throat or an earache. I don't smoke, and I barely drink. But it seems like I should maybe see a doctor. Anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Suggestions?

posted by sockity sock to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

Honestly, I'd give it a few days to a week and see if it goes away or changes. I have major cryptic tonsils, and sometimes they'll be lumpy like that if allergies are bad or Mercury is in retrograde or whatever (what I mean is, for no obvious reason).

If it hangs around more than a week I'd call the doctor.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:39 PM on June 18, 2015

That is probably a tonsil stone. They can be removed with a q-tip, pressure, and adroit handling. If it is a tonsil stone it will smell. It is basically a particle of food that has gotten stuck in the tonsil and experienced buildup.
posted by ksaklingon at 6:32 PM on June 18, 2015

I have those kind of tonsils too. I hate them. Where is the polyp? If it's down towards the bottom, kind of hanging off the main tonsil, that's just your lingual tonsil. It does look kind of like a polyp. There another one more towards the back, I forget what it's called. If you have a stone that hasn't come up yet, or another variety of throat/tonsil infection, sometimes it makes the lingual tonsil swell, and if you're not used to it that can be kind of startling. I suddenly noticed mine a few years ago, after a bout of tonsillitis, and asked my ENT about it. Tonsil stones seem to make the lingual tonsils more prominent. Whee.

If it looks really red or stays swollen for more than a week I would go see a doctor to make sure it isn't something that needs antibiotics or removal.
posted by ananci at 7:11 PM on June 18, 2015

I once had something that looked like a second uvula hanging off one of my tonsils. It also didn't hurt, but it was kinda annoying having it in my throat.

I went to an ear/nose/throat doctor who examined it and cut it off. It ended up growing back in the same place a few months later and I went back and had it removed again (my guess is the doc didn't get all of it the first time). It's been about 4 years and it hasn't returned & I've had no other issues.
posted by upplepop at 7:22 AM on June 22, 2015