“White lump behind tonsils?”
Hi, I started getting a cold about 2 days ago after my stepson was here this weekend with a cold and now he has an ear infection. I have had a runny nose, a little bit of a sore throat, sneezing, headache, ringing in my ears, and have just been more tired overall. My lymph nodes also feel tender under the back of my jaw into my neck. Today I noticed what I thought was a clump of phlegm but it has not gone away I've tried gargling water and I took Dayquil. Does anyone know what this is?
Female | 25 years old
4 Answers
I can't tell you exactly what it is, but it doesn't appear abnormal. It's not uncommon to have occasional tonsillar exudates in and around the tonsil crypts when you are fighting an URI. Don't worry about it. Stay hydrated and rested, and as of your upper respiratory symptoms improve, it will likely go away.
It's a little hard for me to tell based on the picture since I can't enlarge it. It could be some reactive lymphoid tissue or it could be a solitary papilloma (similar to a wart you might get on your finger/toe). See an ENT and they should be able to tell you what it is.
Sorry, pictures are no help.
Probably a collection of epithelial cells in a tonsillar crypt. You could use an ear curette, a water pik, or long Q-tip to remove.
