Tonsil Stone Symptoms

Tonsil stones can be hard to diagnose because they often appear by themselves, but in some cases other symptoms are present as well.

It is believed that about 10% of the population have tonsil stones. This number varies from country to country since diet and lifestyle plays a major part.

Here are the known symptoms of tonsil stones..

Generally, tonsil stones occur more in adults than in children, and they are not always visible. They can be hidden in the tonsil crypts but still cause symptoms. Many tonsil stones are first detected on X-rays and CAT-scans. These stones do not normally cause any major symptoms, it is not until they become bigger that the more major symptoms show.

Now, here are the known symptoms of tonsil stones: (The symptoms in bold are the most common ones.)

• Sore throat
  
• Swollen tonsils
  
• White bumps in throat
  
• Persistent cough
  
• Bad breath
  
• Metallic taste in mouth
  
• Choking sensations
  
• Difficulty swallowing
  
• Coughing up white debris
  
• Ear pain
  
• Tinnitus and other ear problems
  
• Lack of energy
  
• Dizziness
  
• "Water" running from the nose when you tilt forward.
  

Some of the symptoms on this list are produced by the stones pressing some nerves that run in the neck and throat. Dizziness for example, is most likely to be caused by the stones pressing on the eustachian tube and disrupt the balance organ which is located in the inner ear.

The most easiest way of knowing whether you have tonsil stones or not is to look for those white bumps in the back of your throat. Tonsil stones differ from tonsillitis by texture. The two conditions give very similar symptoms. Tonsil stones are harder and resemble small rocks that sit in the tonsils. Tonsillitis shows white goo that lies on the surface of the tonsils and the texture is more smooth.

Some doctors have a tendency to misdiagnose these stones. They say that they are just food particles and will eventually go away. Sadly, tonsil stones will not go away by themselves since they are lifestyle related. They are a byproduct of too much waste products in the lymph fluid. Read the causes for tonsil stones to learn more about what is causing them to appear.

You can physically remove tonsil stones by yourself, but it can be uncomfortable because you might trigger your gagging reflex. You can use your fingers or the back of a toothbrush, or you can use q-tips. If you use your fingers then be sure that you don't damage the surface with your nails. Some bleeding can occur once the stone pop out. This is normal and will heal fast. It is a good practice to remove the stones manually because you help your tonsils to recover. But as stated earlier, you will not get rid of them before the underlying cause has been removed.