What the hell is in my throat, please.

January 1, 2007 2:40 AM

So have this roughly round-shaped creamy white growth in the back of my throat in a sort of "alcove" right next to the hang-y thing whose name I can't remember. I can feel it, it's almost like I swallowed a hair or got popcorn husk trapped back there. There's

This Post on "Steadyhealth.com" describes exactly what the bump looks and feels like. Small, off-white, slightly rough to the touch and very, very annoying. It's not painful and it doesn't produce any sensation beyond the "swallowed a hair" feeling. I tried to reach back there to scrape it out, but my gag reflex got the better of me. Any ideas what it could be? Is it cancer? That would suck.

posted by chichimimizu to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Sounds like a tonsil stone
posted by hindmost at 2:49 AM on January 1, 2007

Also called a tonsilith.

(The hang-y thing is your uvula.)
posted by Violet Hour at 2:56 AM on January 1, 2007

Response by poster: Ok, eww. But thank you.
posted by chichimimizu at 3:07 AM on January 1, 2007

Man, I've been coughing up tonsil stones a bunch this week. It's usually once a week or every other week, but yeah.

It's weird, because I cough like I'm hawking up something, but from the front of my throat, as opposed to my nasal cavity or anything. It just comes out, for me. Not sure why it doesn't lodge like described in the wiki...
posted by disillusioned at 5:45 AM on January 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

yeah, my sister had those. get your tonsils removed and you'll be alright.
posted by Davaal at 8:01 AM on January 1, 2007

They're pretty normal, I get them from time to time. If you can't get at them without gagging, you might be able to sort of push your tongue back there and dig them out. Usually they work themselves out on their own.
posted by jessamyn at 8:03 AM on January 1, 2007

Those things stink, by the way -- so your breath probably isn't going to be so sweet until it's gone. Carry mints. (I lived with them for over a year until I had my tonsils removed.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:12 AM on January 1, 2007

Tonsiliths suck. I'm considering getting my tonsils removed, just to get rid of the buggers. Also, never crush up your tonsilith - they smell truly awful.
posted by adipocere at 9:13 AM on January 1, 2007

Hangy thing = uvula. Sounds naughtier than it is. :)
posted by The Deej at 9:46 AM on January 1, 2007

If you don't have a sensitive gag reflex, sometimes a q-tip helps ease those suckers out. I get tonsil stones, and I would never dream of getting my tonsils removed for this reason. It's not really necessary.
posted by peep at 9:51 AM on January 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

Well, the thing is, a lot of people prone to tonsiliths are prone to other tonsil issues, such as strep.
posted by adipocere at 10:08 AM on January 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

You don't have to have your tonsils removed. My kid just had one of those lasered off. Go to a good ENT guy -- it took ten minutes and she had a minor sore throat for a day.
posted by thinkpiece at 10:10 AM on January 1, 2007 [2 favorites]

I second the q-tip idea for getting it out and they do smell like death. I got my tonsils out and have no more problems, but because of other more serious issues.
posted by harrumph at 11:33 AM on January 1, 2007

Gargle with hydrogen peroxide, then suck 'em out with an eye dropper.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:11 PM on January 1, 2007 [1 favorite]

i always thought those things were little chunks of dead lung! ew...
posted by garethspor at 7:00 PM on January 1, 2007

Oh man. I've been wondering about this for years. I don't have one growing back there, but every now and then one will come up and it smells like death.

Never doubt the power of Ask MeFi.
posted by GilloD at 7:22 AM on January 2, 2007