Symptoms of Tonsil Stones you should know about

The tonsil is filled with corners and crevices where bacteria and other matters, including mucous and dead cells, can get trapped. When this happens, the materials can become concentrated in white formations that occur in the pockets. These white formations are called tonsil stones. When trapped debris hardens or calcifies, tonsil stones are formed.

Tonsil stones are also called tonsillolith and it happens most often to those who suffer from chronic inflammation in their tonsils or those who have recurring tonsillitis. Tonsil stones usually do not cause noticeable symptoms thus they cannot be easily discovered. Some tonsil stones are only discovered incidentally on x-rays or CT scans.

It is quite rare to have a large and solidified tonsil stone and it can truly be a discomfort to have one. If you are experiencing one of the following symptoms, the possibility of having tonsil stones is quite high. The symptoms may include:

Bad breath Once a tonsil infection is accompanied with halitosis or exceedingly bad breath, it already signals the presence of tonsil stones. One study proved that volatile sulphur compounds were found to be persistent among breaths of patients with chronic tonsillitis. The presence of these compounds causes bad breath. It was found by the same study that 75% of the people who had abnormally high concentrations of these compounds also had tonsil stones. When the cause of bad breath is in question, presence of tonsil stones is considered to be involved in the situation.

Sore throat Pain in the throat or sore throat can also be due to the presence of tonsil stones. However, there are times when tonsil stones and tonsillitis occur together and it can be difficult to determine whether the pain is caused by the infection or the tonsil stone. The presence of tonsil stone alone can cause one to feel pain or discomfort in the area where it is stuck.

Difficulty swallowing Difficulty or feeling pain when swallowing food or liquid signify possibility of the presence of tonsil stones. The difficulty or pain varies depending on the location or size of the tonsil stone.

White debris Though it is not always the case, some tonsil stones are visible in the back of the throat as a lump of solid white material. But once tonsil stones are hidden in the folds of the tonsils, they may only be detected with the use of non-invasive scanning techniques such as CT scan or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Tonsil swelling When debris has accumulated and hardened, tonsil stone forms leading to inflammation from infection. Tonsil stone alone may cause a tonsil to swell or become larger.

Ear pain Tonsil stones can develop anywhere in the tonsil. Because of shared nerve pathways of the tonsil and the ear, a person having tonsil stones may feel pain in the ear. This can happen even though the stone itself is not touching the ear.