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From the lens Cause for Tonsil Stones - What is The Real Cause for White Bumps in Your Throat.

  • 17 Drama Queen May 29, 2012 @ 12:27 am | delete
    Thank you so much for this site. I've only recently started experiencing these stones and it's been freaking me out. Usually I've only just coughed them up, but today I had one stuck in my tonsil, and the feeling of a pop corn kernel bothered me to the point I HAD to know how to get it out. I used a q-tip dipped in water and it pushed right out! Then I went back over it with some mouthwash. I'm the only one in my family that experiences these and the bad breath associated with it. I'm so relieved to know it's not something to cause major alarm, and that I'm not the only one experiencing these! I've recently been on the transition to vegetarianism and I was thinking it was coming from the left over starch that my body couldn't process. It was rather discouraging, but now that I know they're pretty natural I feel more comfortable in cutting out my meat (and eventually dairy). Thanks again!
  • Michelle May 25, 2012 @ 12:29 pm | delete
    I purchase Colgate Peroxyl Mouth Sore Rinse from Walgreen and my tonsil stone went away in about 3 days. I was considering having my tonsil out but I opt out for that. I also said tonsil are very important to our bodies. I hope this really dose help someone out there. It really work for me and I hope you too.
  • Julian May 20, 2012 @ 4:33 pm | delete
    After scraping my tongue and brushing my teeth really well before bed, I've been cleaning my tonsils with a mix of half hot water and half 3% peroxide(warm mixture doesn't make you gag) using a curved syringe. I hold my breath, make my tonsils pop, they become more visible so I squirt it into all the tonsil crypts a couple of times each. The stones come out "beautifully". When I'm done with that I make more mixture to use as a mouth wash and throat gargle. It works like a charm
  • Cat May 20, 2012 @ 4:13 pm | delete
    Hi, i wanted to ask for advice, i have had a swollen left tonsil with green bits not white on my tonsil for a couple of weeks, i feel a bit unwell and tired, plus it`s sometimes sore to swallow ,i don`t want to take antibiotics as i had bad health problems when i last took them in the in the nineties, ie, candida, M.E. I try to eat an Organic clean diet when possible and wholegrains. Any advice would be great!
  • cat May 20, 2012 @ 4:06 pm | delete
    TN
  • Colleen May 18, 2012 @ 1:23 am | delete
    I have had these stones since I was a kid. In fact, I remember the first time I experienced one coming out! My mom used to remove them with a bent paperclip, and I have used a bobby pin as well. I now use a Q-tip to push them out. It's a bit less invasive than than digging into my tonsils with a metal object. My husband does not get them, but my kids do, which makes me wonder if genetics plays a role. I am vigilant about keeping my mouth clean and can always tell when one has formed, even if I can't see it yet, and I head over to the Q-tip basket...
  • Don May 15, 2012 @ 7:40 pm | delete
    Use a watered down Peroxyl(Mouth wash brand) solution in the waterPick The foaming action will assisted in dislodging Take your time with lots of gargling. Suppress the gag effect by using chloraseptic sore throat spray. Clean back of tongue frequently. This will keep it under check . Just had tonsils removed at 50+Yrs of age OUCH! OUch again
  • Jamie P. May 15, 2012 @ 6:30 am | delete
    Hey there everyone! So I get these tonsil stones, but they are never really HARD like most people say....so are they still the same thing? They are off-white clumps in the cavities of my tonsils. They probably are, but are just less severe than others I guess...anyways! I found out that I get these annoying things after drinking milk or eating lots of diary products. How can I stop getting these...I want to continue drinking milk (although I've stopped for months now because I notices that they brought these stones and that I am lactose intolerant because of the stomach discomfort I get after consuming milk), is there an alternate??? I'm 5'7'' and 125 pounds so feel like I should drink milk so my bones don't deteriate (unless they already have because my calcium intake is so low)....But let me know what I should do because I want to be and feel healthier....oh and btw I'm 19 and am not the healthiest eater, lots of junk food because im constantly at my college or in between at a lot of different places. Let me know asap please. Want to never see these things again!!
  • Chucky May 15, 2012 @ 6:54 pm | delete
    Dude, you can stop drinking dairy milk forever and you'll be fine! I don't know, it's probably just advertising and milk propaganda that makes people think they 'need' to drink milk or their bones will become brittle and break.

    Anyways, if you're really preoccupied about your calcium intake, just google 'calcium rich fruits and vegetables' and you'll find that there's tons of things that provide calcium, and if you start eating those things a lot (the fruits and vegetables) your diet will improve as well.
  • Donna T May 14, 2012 @ 12:56 am | delete
    davapava,
    I just bought you some tea, enjoy :) OK, I am looking online at Amazon, and there are a gazillion different forms of chlorella. Questions:
    1) is the powder better than the pill - or doesn't matter?
    2) the pills come in potency of 250 mg, 500mg, 1000mg, and 1 kg. what dosage do you advise?
    3) so if I do the powder, is it gritty and gross in my water (like psyllium husk)?
    4) there are dozens of brands, how do I know what is the best? I see there is organic, should I get that? Is there a brand you advise?
    5) I will start with chlorella, I noticed you also mentioned several other supplements in your article, any advice on whether or not I should do those as well, or slowly add in, or do one at a time?
    thanks!!! I will wait to order chlorella until I hear back,
    :)
  • davapava May 14, 2012 @ 1:47 am | delete
    Thank you very much, I will enjoy it :). I think that powder vs pill is a matter of personal taste. Some find it easier to take the pills because they don't like the taste of chlorella. I use powder and I mix 1 teaspoon in about 1 cup of water 3 times per day. Introduce chlorella slowly and watch what happens. After a few weeks you can increase the dosage. There is no upper limit, but most dosages fall between 5 - 10 grams.

    3. It's not sandlike, the powder is very fine and you won't notice when you drink it.

    4. Yes there are many different brands. I buy the certified organic types because then you at least know that no fertilizers were used in the process of making it.

    5. Start with chlorella and see how you feel in a couple of weeks. :)

    Good luck!
  • Donna T. May 7, 2012 @ 10:37 pm | delete
    I am 41 and have led a crappy lifestyle, no exercise, 30 pounds overweight, eat fast food crap, sleep like 4 hours per night, and high stress job, etc.....
    So, recently, I started having insane itching attacks out of nowhere, itching in my hands and feet.... guess it is related to histamine and allergies, only known allergy that I have is nuts. I also started getting pressure hives.
    So, I am taking 2 antihistamines per day to keep the itching and hives under control.
    Two months ago, I started juicing (watched "Fat, sick, and nearly dead" and got determined to reboot.
    Once I started juicing, I began to have the tonsil stones. Never had them in the previous 41 years of life. I would juice, and my tonsils would get inflamed, red, and the stones develop.
    I stop juicing, and they eventually go away. As soon as I make one juice, the tonsil inflamation returns and the stones return. I currently have two nasty ones.

    So... questions:
    1) when I juice, my tonsils inflame and stones develop. Does that mean I am allergic to the juice? I would expect a food allergy to react with itching and hives (like my nut allergy) or is that kept in check because I am currently taking 2 antihistamines daily?

    2) If it is not an allergy to the juice, then is it because the juicing is causing my body to detox too fast? And because of my lazy lifestyle for 40 years, my lymph system can't keep up because it is sluggish?

    3) I have never once had tonsil problems or strep throat or anything in 40 years of laziness and toxic lifestyle. How come as soon as I start exercising and eating vegetables/fruits / juicing, etc, I am getting tonsislitis and stones?

    4) How does one find a Traditional Chinese Healer? I have no idea about how to find alternative medicine like acupuncture. Are healers in the yellow pages?

    ANY INPUT is appreciated !! thanks
  • davapava May 8, 2012 @ 3:55 am | delete
    OK I will try to answer the questions to the best of my ability.

    1. When you juice, you trigger your body's inbuilt ability to cleanse itself and regrow. The property of the fruit and vegetables you use will trigger your body to release toxins that has been stored in your body. You are not allergic, it's a healing reaction.

    2. You should be very, very, and I mean very cautious about jucing. When you juice, toxins are released much more faster than in any other way. It depends on the severity of your condition on the toxins that are released. For a cancer patient for example, the release of toxins from the liver could be deadly without enemas. Coffee enemas are generally used every 6 hours in these cases. You don't often hear about this from the people who tell you to juice.

    We want to become well quickly and therefore we choose the quick methods. However, by changing the lifestyle overall to a more healthier one is in my opinion a safer way. This means that you cut the unhealthy food and substitute it with fresh and healthy food. Don't be fanatic, eat what you like, but choose the healthy/whole food version.

    3. This is because without exercise, your body cannot cleanse itself effectively. The junk is still there, it has become a part of your organs and flesh. When you begin to eat healthy, your body begins to change and substitute tissues for more vibrant ones. The toxins that was stored in your cells vill ome out and this is partly seen as tonsil stones.

    4. There are websites that you can use to search for acupuncturists https://www.acufinder.com/. But I would like you to look around a bit and see what other people are saying about the doctor you are going to. Acupuncturists don't necessarily be traditional chinese medicine practitioners. My best bet would be to google "Your area" + TCM and then go from there, see what other people are saying. You want someone who have lots of expertise and experience.

    Also, I would suggest you to purchase something called "Chlorella" It's an algae that help your body to safely remove toxins out of your body. It's usually available as powder, and you take one teaspoon three times per day mixed with water. I use it myself.

    I wish you good luck! and remember: "Slow and steady wins the race"
  • Donna T. May 8, 2012 @ 2:56 pm | delete
    Oh my gosh, thank you so much for your advice. You have no idea how frustrated I have been for 6 months, because the doc's I have seen have just pushed pills towards me to cover the symptoms. But I don't want to take pills, I want to fix the problem.
    I have come to believe that I am out of balance - which is why I am very interested in seeing out TCM and alternatives to medicine. When my itching began (too much histamine in my system, or my body is just randomly dumping histamine with no known cause) I really got serious about my health.
    I have been drinking Niiken pure mag water (alkaline water) and have been trying to eat whole foods (avoid preservatives and chemicals)
    My diet is not perfect, still eat the occasional cookie, etc, but overall much improved (no fast food 5 days per week)
    I also started jogging 2 miles per day and doing Yoga almost daily. I have lost weight and feel so much better, and was very encouraged until the tonsil inflamation and stones began 2 months ago.
    The docs just blow it off and give me NO answers. This site has been such a blessing to me to find, thank you so much. People like you are so needed on the web, to provide real answers.
    I don't want to keep bugging you, but I finally feel like I found someone who knows what they are talking about. So, humor me, a few more questions:

    1) I will get the Chlorella. I often hear of supplements (Dr. Oz show) that is good for this and that, my concern is, is there a general rule of thumb on how many different herbal supplements you can take? Any interactions that you know of? What do you suggest?

    2) juicing. I did a 10 day re-boot (juice only fast, no food) and felt great. But then I got off a few days and then the stones and inflamation of tonsils started.
    THANK YOU so much for the warning about juicing! Besides coffee enemas, is there another way to get the toxins out of my liver asap?

    3) I really want to juice some, So, do you think that one 12oz fresh juice per day is ok? I used to juice 4-6 juices per day - which I am now realizing is ALOT.

    4) So, I have swallowed all of my tonsil stones. I have had about 5 or 6 stones in the past 2 months. I have never been able to get them out, they eventually get so big they break off and I swallow them . YUCK! I swallowed two big ones this morning with my coffee.... is this ok? Do I need to worry about them being toxic now inside my body?

    THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR BRAIN and ADVICE :)
  • davapava May 9, 2012 @ 4:52 am | delete
    It sounds to me that you are on the right track! But these things take time, your body needs time cleanse, readjust, and rebuild itself. It will get better and better if you keep this new healthy projection.

    I will happily answer any questions you might have.

    1. Yes, supplements are what they are, to supplement your diet. This means that if you eat a variable diet with fresh, organically and locally grown vegetables and fruit, most of the vitamins and minerals are included in the food naturally. Supplements are good if you feel that you aren't getting all that is necessary. Chlorella is an exception, it is not a supplement, it's a whole food. Chlorella is a single cell algae with the highest amount of chlorophyll on the earth. Chlorophyll has the exact shape of hemoglobin (the protein that transport oxygen in red blood cells) except that hemoglobin has an iron atom at its center and chlorophyll has magnesium. Chlorophyll will attach itself to toxins and heavy metals such as led, cadmium, mercury, etc and safely escort them out of your body. So this algae is very good as it will cleanse your blood, and build your internal organs. Plus it has strong anticancer compounds as well. Healing reactions can occur at the beginning when you take chlorella such as headache and stiffness in your body.

    Synthetically produced supplements can in some cases be useful, but we often forget that they need other compounds present as well in order for us to make them useful. Were the supplement is naturally occuring, lets say in a fruit, is far better than a synthetically manufactured supplement.

    2. I would advice you to go slow, let the liver heal itself in its own time. Beets are known to cleanse the liver, flax seed and its oil as well. Mangoes, apples are also cleansing the liver. There are other types of algae that cleanse the liver. Spirulina is more cleansing than chlorella, but doesn't have as much chlorophyll. Wild-blue-green algae found in lake Klamath is even more effective. Then you have wheat grass which is cleansing as well. However, the more cleansing, the more careful you need to be. My advice is to start with chlorella and then as you get more experience, try the other types. It's not only physical toxins that gets removed, but also mental and emotional "toxins" and it can be very painful if you cleanse too fast.

    3. Listen you your body, if you want to juice then juice. The same goes with the amount, how much do your body want?, listen to it. Beet juice, and carrot juice mixed with other fruits is ok. If you eat normally while juicing it shouldn't be any problems.

    4. No don't worry! They are supposed to be swallowed or spitted out.

    It will be all right.

    :)
  • God bless you May 7, 2012 @ 12:28 pm | delete
    Thanks a lot for good advices!
  • Thankfull guy May 7, 2012 @ 6:52 am | delete
    This is the best and most detailed article I have read on this topic! Thanks!
  • Last Resort May 7, 2012 @ 2:01 am | delete
    I became deathly ill because of these things. I got one a few days ago and now I can barely function. In a final resort phase i Put Hydrochloric acid (DO NOT DO THIS!!!!) in my mouth and held it until it broke off. The reason i did this was because the inner tissue partly grew over it.. Although now I have Chemical burns. I say a win. And i say again DO NOT USE HYDROCHLORIC ACID. I did it because with other illnesses i would probably die (I have a lot of sicknesses at the moment)
  • Gill May 6, 2012 @ 6:19 am | delete
    I feel much better now. I was beginning to think i had some sort of smelly tumor on my tonsils and my lymph nodes are the size of grapes! I can touch the lump and it smells bad like bacteria. The doc just looks at them and does a strep test that comes out negative she dodnt say what the lump was. I feel very tired and have chronic sinusitis due to an unknown allergy.
  • anonymous May 3, 2012 @ 9:45 pm | delete
    This article is the best one I have ever read on this topic. It is what I needed to hear and I appreciate your insight. Thanks!!!
  • Jennifer Apr 30, 2012 @ 10:53 pm | delete
    Also forgot to ask. When pushing on the affected tonsils with just a finger I end up spitting up bright red blood. Does anyone else have this?
  • Jennifer Apr 30, 2012 @ 10:49 pm | delete
    I've had tonsil stones since the age of 7 and am now 22 year old. Up until about 6 weeks ago I would get them maybe 5 times per month and could tell when they were building up due to people saying my breath was bad. Since that time I have been getting them 3-4 times per week and every time I check there are at least 3 there. I have tried many different allergy medications over the years and have now completely cut milk products from my diet as well as peanut butter which I find makes them worse. I never eat anything but whole grains (this is how my mom cooks) and consume lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Ever since the tonsil stones have increased in frequency my boyfriend has been telling me how bad my breath smells and now avoids kissing me. I don't know how much more I can take. Also it in no way has to do with a lack of exercise as I run 5-7km four times per week. Have also for the most part given up coffee in favour for green tea which is supposed to help fight infection. So far no luck at all.
  • davapava May 1, 2012 @ 1:52 am | delete
    In my opinion, what you are experiencing is a healing reaction. Your body is cleaning itself. But om just speculating. If I were you I would go and see a TCM doctor (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and see what he says. It could be some other imbalance that needs to be corrected. The blood could be result of a wound when you push out tonsil stones, or an infection.
    Best of luck!
  • Chucky Apr 30, 2012 @ 2:59 am | delete
    I know for my case, diet is the main/only factor causing these blasted things! I have a very meticulous, and thorough oral care routine so that all things being equal, I always wake up the next morning with no breath (yup, that's right, no bad breath, the so called morning breath..no smell whatsoever! It's fantastic!).

    So whenever I develop these nasties, I know it's because it's from something I ate. Here's what I've learned what's triggered them for me.

    The main one was..onions! Once, I went on a phase of adding TONS of onions to everything I made for culinary experimentation. Well, not only does this superficially make your breath smell bad, but even worse, causes tonsil stones (to be referred to as TS from now on). I know this was the cause immediately because everything else was the same in my diet except for the onions. It was terrible because I had never had tonsil stones as bad and as large as this! I immediately stopped eating the onions completely, and after a few nights of manually removing the remaining TS, I was cured! This actually went against what I had read on some places saying that eating onions may actually help! What terrible advice if all people are like me!

    So I was completely TS free for like 3 years, then I went through another culinary phase in my life where I started to eat lots of tofu, soy milk. Well, what do you know, the TS made a comeback. Not nearly as bad as the onion episode, but still a big problem. I wouldn't have thought they would cause it as they are odorless (unlike the onions) when you eat them, but they were the only new things in my diet, so I cut them out, and there 'ya go, problem solved. I looked up the nutrient information on onions and tofu/soy to see if I could find a commonality, the only thing I could find that makes these foods special that are in common with each other is the element, sulfur.

    Onions are unusually high in sulfur, garlic as well so I stay away from that as well. Soy also is high in sulfur, and then tofu being made of soy, has a double whammy in the fact that in the tofu making process, calcium-sulfate is used.

    I can't be totally sure that sulfur is the main culprit in these foods, but I do know these foods have been the causes for me 100%. This page suggests that sulfur is great as well other sites, so..I don't know what to say in regards to that. Just adding my personal experience.
  • Jay Apr 26, 2012 @ 11:06 pm | delete
    This information is absolutely true. I got my tonsil out at the age of 16. And My health has been downhill ever since. I have always had a very weak immune system and was extremely sickly as a child. You would think that the "GOOD DR." would have thought twice about suggesting to remove my tonsil. Bottom-line... Do not always trust your medical doctor.
  • Chris Apr 26, 2012 @ 8:59 pm | delete
    Honestly... I don't like or trust doctors.. however a lot of what you are saying is suspect... there is no real evidence that taking out your tonsils does anything negative... lots of people take out their tonsils and are healthy.. I am one of them... my tonsils got overwhelmed with stones and had to be removed.. all I got fom their removal was positive... you are spreading dangerous advice that is based on speculation and reading wikipedia a few times does not make you an expert... anybody can cut and paste from medical journals
  • Bubble-Boy Jon May 3, 2012 @ 4:57 am | delete
    I was overwhelmed with these stones during a time when I used construction adhesives to build loudspeaker enclosures for a company (Liquid Nails was the culprit, likely in combination with MDF wood which contains formaldehyde). I noticed that every time I built another box with the same materials, even if years apart, the stones occurred that night or the next day! The rate that the stones develop as a result to these construction materials is phenomenally FAST and scary. I did NOT have my tonsils removed, and I'm glad I didn't. I no longer get these stones - I simply avoid the chemicals that caused them. Problem solved. I would think that someone removing their tonsils is making a fast decision without ruling out the potential aggressors/variables. Think of all the toxins we bathe in and use every day...
  • JonnyBoy Apr 24, 2012 @ 6:39 pm | delete
    Alright, So I took some one else advice and used the curved end of a bobby pin to get the nasty stuff out....but every time I dig in, i seem to be able to pull more of the white stuff out. I'm VERY glad to be free of it, but im worried about digging too far into my tonsil and messing something up.

    I intend on finding a way to eat healthier and.or see if im allergic to something causing these rocks, but for now...I just want to put an end to this bad breath. I mean C'MON, i'm brushing my teeth!
  • P. Clark Apr 24, 2012 @ 2:16 pm | delete
    mmmmmmmm can't resist squeezing them for the smell.
  • Java Apr 22, 2012 @ 10:26 pm | delete
    My brother has these but chooses to ignore the fact that it's probably caused by his diet. He eats all organic and we've noticed a depletion in his overall health since he's started. He's had a skin condition which became worse, his hair is thinning, and he's complaining more of other problems.

    Even organic foods will do that. He's gets the stones nearly twice a weak now.
  • Arroyo May 7, 2012 @ 11:58 am | delete
    Sounds like his body is just dumping toxins. Possibly from a previously bad diet. If he has just started this (even within just a few years of eating healthier) his body could be just eliminating toxins that have stored in his body. IN fact this is common for someone who is eating healthier. You usually get worse before you get better. With God's wisdom he will do well.
  • Tolemac Apr 21, 2012 @ 5:14 am | delete
    Thanks for this informative lens. I've had to deal with these a couple of times in my life, and now I've got some great techniques to use if it happens again. =)
  • Julius Apr 18, 2012 @ 3:02 am | delete
    Is it possible for tonsil stones stuck in throat? If so, how can they be removed?
  • Meee Apr 13, 2012 @ 2:28 am | delete
    I use the curved end of a bobby pin to get those suckers out. Do these cause craters in any one else's tonsils? I had them in my left tonsil for months, now it is pretty much gone. Now I'm getting them in my right. I had oversized tonsils to begin with, so I was kinda excited.. lol
  • Calmplace Apr 4, 2012 @ 11:42 am | delete
    I have been a practitioner of alternative medicine for many years (primarily acupuncture and herbal medicine) and this is a very well-written article with excellent information. Oftentimes, medical doctors will inappropriately prescribe antibiotics (or tonsillectomy) for such conditions, which, unless there is an acute bacterial infection, does more harm than good and doesn't address the root of the problem. The good news is, a few lifestyle and dietary changes can make a world of difference for people suffering from allergies, tonsilitis and other such lymphatic conditions. Also, if you've had your tonsils removed already, take heart, for the odds are they'll grow back. Mine did!
  • Tongues Apr 3, 2012 @ 6:49 am | delete
    I have been having these tonsil stones from childhood, and i used to wonder they were some kind of a disease and was afraid to tell my parents then. However, i used to keep removing them by constantly pressing the tonsils with my tongue and eventually they would fall out and ya...really horrible smelling ones. Ever since, i keep doing this few times every month. I think by now am an expert at removing these things with my tongue and even today got one out. My take is just like removing the ear dirt and the nose goo, one has to keep removing these stones from time to time. No need to go and consult an expensive specialist or try expensive remedies...use your own expertise!
  • irenic Mar 30, 2012 @ 12:11 pm | delete
    I have been suffering from bb for years now and this has shed some light on a possible solution that makes sense. I have had a tonsillectomy with no cure. I have bad allergies and post nasal drip. I am excited to try some herbal remedies and attempt to play with my diet. Thank u soo much davapava for sharing. U just might have saved my life :-)
  • Rv Mar 30, 2012 @ 2:45 am | delete
    Omg this was the grossed thing I have ever removed. I thought these little bumps were causing my sore throat but after I read this I pulled the stones out. Disgusting! I am definitely going to manage by lymph system so I never see these again!
  • Jared Mar 27, 2012 @ 7:16 pm | delete
    I had the same problem!! I was wondering why my breath was horrid and why my throat was kinda sore for two weeks and a quick look I soon identified the problem.. I had white dots only on my left tonsil so I began to use my finger and push them out!! I didn't apply much pressure and sure enough more and more kept coming out until they where all removed. I just tried to spit most of them out but you will swallow one or two which is no big deal!! I also felt sick for two weeks like I had no energy and had a headache all the time!! I don't know if that was the cause of my headaches and the restlessness but it seems after I had removed them I'm back to the energetic person that I am and no headaches where apparent and i just felt great!!! Hope this helped:)
  • Jynxie Mar 20, 2012 @ 1:53 pm | delete
    Recently I had noticed this taste in my mouth, kind of always there but didn't seem to be coming from my teeth. Yesterday I had a good look at my throat and tonsils and noticed something whitish in my one tonsil. I swabbed it with a cotton tip and out came one of those nasty little globs of horrible smelling stuff! I knew then that thsi is where that taste was coming from. I noticed more of it and tried for quite a while to remove it, but no luck. Then as I was about to give up, I pushed with a fresh swab just beside my tonsil and out popped another glob, then another and another. It was definately disturbing and gross, yet it was satisfying to remove these and know they are out! So I found that by applying pressure beside or above the tonsil and swooping towards it, the globs were expelled quite easily and all it left me with was a bit of tenderness where I had been poking. This was very informative, and I am thrilled to find out I don't have some weird tonsil issue. Don't get your tonsils removed!
  • Rv Mar 30, 2012 @ 2:46 am | delete
    Thanks for the tip. I was almost going to give up!
  • shadowshodan Mar 18, 2012 @ 11:09 pm | delete
    im annoyed everywhere i look i cant find the answer. i had a test for strep and tonsilitis but they came up negative so im taking antibiotics and they arent working and it seems like im gwetting sicker and worse and dont know what it is. i look at the back of my throat and i see 3 big bumps and whole throat is red. and 1 bump has like white little dots all over it. i even tryed peroxyl. any ideas?
  • JB Apr 15, 2012 @ 12:25 pm | delete
    Candida, or yeast infection in your throat.
  • grumpylittletree Mar 11, 2012 @ 10:47 am | delete
    Great information! I went to the dr the first time I had one of these. All he told me was it wasn't strep and sent me on my way. It seems like when I am really stressed my body gets run down and I get these.
  • Mrd Mar 11, 2012 @ 2:50 pm | delete
    That is EXACTLY what the doc did to me!!
  • justsharing:) Mar 8, 2012 @ 11:39 am | delete
    good info up there buddy! ;)remember: PREVENTION is ALWAYS better than cure.

    add info about tonsils
    They dont just do tonsillectomy for the reason they just want to but because they have to. There are certain criteria that has to be met before tonsillectomy is done, like if you have a severe tonsillitis which interferes with your respiration, you have recurrent tonsillitis that occurs more than 3x/yr,if the patient has rheumatoid fever accompanied with it he is at risk of having rheumatoid heart disease as well. So the infection may go down to the heart. Also tonsillectomy could be an option if one is no longer responding to antibiotics.and if you have tosilloliths or the tonsil stones behind the mouth your tonsils has to be removed . ITS CASE TO CASE BASIS.
  • InSearchOf Feb 27, 2012 @ 5:57 pm | delete
    Had my tonsils removed, wish I had seen this information before then. I grew up with horrible allergies, allergic to an unbelievable amount of things and suffered asthma from it as well. After having my tonsils removed, then developed a gall stone while pregnant. And had it removed after pregnancy. Maybe some relation... I don't know, but this is an interesting and informative lens.
  • Sean Feb 16, 2012 @ 3:04 pm | delete
    Very informative. I first noticed these 'stones' several years ago and I have been extracting them using a dental pick and a mini flashlight. I already knew the tonsils were the bodie's white blood cell manufacturing plants so I figured these hard substances were infections that the white blood cells had encapsulated and were pushing out of my body. I'd suggest caution when using anything sharp to remove these. I've pricked my tonsils once or twice and drew a little blood, funny thing is I didn't feel a thing though. Just take your time. It's really easy for me to do now and I check for these almost daily now. Great article about how to help minimize the formation of them though. I will definitely try some of the herbs out.
  • Jess Feb 9, 2012 @ 9:28 pm | delete
    I too have tonsil tones and I think they are very annoying. I just want to find out how to get rid of them. I don't like sticking my finger in the back of my throat and I'm not sure if I should get my tonsils removed. Is it a good idea to get your tonsils removed when you have tonsil stones? Does it help? Thank you.
  • dog lovr Mar 30, 2012 @ 12:31 am | delete
    I had tonsiles removd almost yr ago due to stones and halitosis. tonsile grew bak and stones too. surgery did nothing for me. dont recommend
  • abby Feb 2, 2012 @ 5:44 am | delete
    hi,im very thankful bcoz i read this article. Thank you so much,your a blessing to us.. just like them i also suffered this tonsil stones.now i know what i'm going to do to prevent bb.to all who posted their comments thanks . i tried different kins of mouthwash but thre's no effect, i hve one more question to the owner,,is baking soda ruined our throat?or is this causes tonsil stones? Because i tried to use this to whiten my teeth,and then there everytime i used baking soda tonsil stones come out..pls. answer..thanks??
  • Wishy Jan 30, 2012 @ 5:38 pm | delete
    I had my tonsils removed when i was a kid already and at 35 still suffer from deposits of tonsil stones. I do have mild sinusitis. Could it be post nasal drip maybe? What is the reason for this.. even though I've had my tonsils removed?
  • Lynn Mar 18, 2012 @ 7:45 pm | delete
    i had a removal i think of mine at age 1 when a jammed a metal edge ruler down my throat cut it pretty bad.,i have never seen mine ever i am now 51.I started out having it feel like hair in throat but seems deeper then where tonsils go.also in back by teeth now feels like popcorn kernels in back of throat,want to no symptoms
  • tolljat Jan 30, 2012 @ 4:20 pm | delete
    Got an laser operation on my tonsils...and thy got REALLY bad!!!!
    I think it is food particles that gets stuck in them....sorry!
  • Chelsea Jan 28, 2012 @ 2:30 am | delete
    This page is amazing, it clearly describes exactly what i go through. Awesome! Keep up the good work.
  • Sharon Jan 24, 2012 @ 4:35 pm | delete
    This page is very helpful. I never leave messages, but the information is offering natural solutions and that is not common is these times.
  • Danielle Jan 20, 2012 @ 6:21 pm | delete
    Hey I'm surprise no one has made note of crying as a major contributing factor to these nasty things. Ive done tons of research on the topic as well but from personal experience know that these show up soo much more after crying. I see people are commenting on here saying that they get them more when stressed but probably havent made the connection with crying. The mucus drips down and hardens in the tonsils.
  • Chime_star Jan 16, 2012 @ 7:34 pm | delete
    Thank goodness I found this page! probably the clearest info I read after 6 years of research. I have been living with tonsil stones for 6 years now. I realised people here suffer from bad breath everyday just like myself. It has lost me many friends but made me realise who my true friends who somehow managed to put up with it and stick by me. I have spent hours each day researching for possible treatments and have tried many things but nothing helped. Alongside bad breath is a more serious problem..there is odor coming from my nose aswel. when I exhale i can smell it and it is bad ass and its definitley worse than bad breath because breathing alone can turn people away. Does anyone reckon this may be from the tonsil stones aswell? I stopped eating dairy along time back and use the netti pot to clean my nose everyday but i can still smell it :(. Any thoughts would be appreciated???
  • Sharon Wilson Feb 24, 2012 @ 11:35 pm | delete
    Dear Chime_star...... your post made me fell sad! I would definitely suggest a TCM (chinese) Doctor
    Man, in my experience of 20 years of seeing them... they identify the cause/ imbalance and usually fix it! But you can, after diagnosis, also look up/ research yourself, so you know what foods to avoid in future/ have more of etc....

    Do you chew gum? In the short term, til you get it fixed....... find one that it is strong, but that you LIKE thee flavour of..... maybe just help with confidence when aroung people??

    Take care... Treelover 72
  • Tina777 Jan 15, 2012 @ 5:34 am | delete
    I have been struggling with bad breath for 10 years, tried everything but just couldn't get rid if bb. I went to see my doctor, ENT, dentist and had scans etc...prescribed me one thing after another and nothing worked. 4 weeks ago I coughed up a small yellow particle the size of rice, I didn't know what it was, I held it about 20 cm away from my face to inspect it and thought what is that smell. The smell was absolutely disgusting, like poop. When I coughed it up I remember it left a smelly taste in my mouth and I recognized the smell as the snell causing my bb and also coming out of my nose. I quickly researched on the Internet and discovered they are called tonsil stones. I inspected my tonsils with a flashlight but could not see any stones but I could taste it and smell it. A few weeks back I bought an oral irrigator on eBay, nothing fancy, it was one where I just attached it to my tap. I decided to spray my tonsils, sticking out my tongue to get to the sides and areas I couldn't really see. It made me gag but after 15 minutes of spraying about 6 tiny stones came out. It was horrible. I couldn't see them they were deeply hidden at the top right side of my tonsils. So if you have faecal breath and horrible taste in your mouth then you possibly have tonsil stones. I use my oral irrigator every nite (gentle spray) to clean my tonsils, brush my teeth with tea tree toothpaste, gargle with grapeseed extract every second day and I have cut out dairy products and white bread pasta etc...I now eat lots of fruits, I take vitamin c and probiotics everyday. It has been four weeks now and I have no stones and no more bb. Please don't give on trying to find out what's causing your bb. I was so frustrated and cried alot. I refused to socialuse, people complained about my bb, quit jobs and spoke to people at a distance. Gum didnt mask the smell of my bb that's how bad it was. So don't give up on trying to find the cure for your bb. And I pray you do.
  • elizabeth S.A Feb 26, 2012 @ 7:05 pm | delete
    wow tina, you such an inspiration...v suffered 8 years with this.. m ashamed to let my patents know i have this problem..my problems are just similar to yours..i cant find any of this tonsils when i open wide..but i can taste and smell the bb through both my nose and my mouth, people think m a rude person coz i never socialize..but how do you do that when you have this killer problem...at times i feel like just dien coz i really cannot go on like this...but i know God will help me find a remedy for my problem!
  • Matilda Jan 10, 2012 @ 2:25 pm | delete
    My ENT doctor mentioned "bacteria" on the tonsils and I have constant bad beath and a little post nasal drip. He sent me away with a mouthrinse that did absolutely nothing. I eat relatively healthy and have recently cut out gluten from my diet as I have read on other threads that this could be the cause but to be honest, my breath as gotten worse since doing this. I have purchased a waterpik and am awaiting this in the post but i can't even see my tonsils even when I use a light so I don't know how I will use the waterpik!!! This problem has crushed my confidence and I have spent an absolute fortune on different remedies etc. Is it possible to have tonsil stones without actually seeing them?
  • MLC Jan 27, 2012 @ 3:21 pm | delete
    I have tonsil stones also - i have suffered with them since high school i am in my late 40's now - about every two days I take the flat endd of a toothbrush and scrape my tonsils until the stones extract! sometimes tjhey are little other times they are 1/2 the size of a pea. At times i have used a cotton swap tip dipped in mouthwash to clean my tonsils as well before going out- although it makes you gag a little.... Good Luck!! everyone
  • Jake Dec 29, 2011 @ 4:33 am | delete
    This advice seems quite sound and I agree! I am a final year undergrad student in molecular microbiology and so the lymphatic system is something I have learned a lot about. My lifestyle has gone down the tubes (little exercise, too much alcohol, stress) and I have began to see tonsil stones for the first time! I can easily conclude the relationship with alcohol and my tonsil stones, as they start to pop up after a few binge drinking days (which needs to stop for many other reasons apart from smelly stones!). This advice is great, and has only helped to motivate me. Your body will definitely be more likely to create smelly stones if your overall health is down, I am considering these my warning! Healthy diet and exercise for myself are not just an idea anymore, but a necessity to get rid of stink breath.
  • Rachel Apr 16, 2012 @ 12:50 pm | delete
    Well, I fall into a completely different catagory than you do for these tonsil stones. I don't drink alcohol (not even a sip), I eat pretty healthy and exercise. I started getting these nasty stones about a year after my son was born and only get them on one side (my right side). I rarely eat dairy as I'm almost a vegan (I have read dairy causes these). I am going to try a waterpik, but I can't even see these things as my tonsils are barely even there and I'm not sure if it'll work. I have tried a lymphatic cleanser, but that didn't work. I'm so frustrated!
  • Samantha Dec 20, 2011 @ 12:05 pm | delete
    Hi, have you heard of mullen to treat post nasal drip? If so, do you have any feedback? I have had tonsil stones for about 6 years and even though I have not had one in about 2 months, I have post nasal drip which I think is affecting my breath. I went to an herbalist and he suggests mullien. Ill let you know the results. Thanks for this forum.
  • matilda Dec 18, 2011 @ 6:21 pm | delete
    Hi, just a quick question. I have constant bad breath and my ENT diagnosed allergic rhinitis and mentioned some "bacteria" on the tonsils. I have a lump in the back of my throat and post nasal but no tonsil stones to speak of. Do you think it is a "diet" thing I need to change?
  • davapava Dec 19, 2011 @ 3:25 pm | delete
    My personal experience is that once you start to eat healthier and engaging in more healthier activities such as yoga and tai chi, these problems start to go away. You harmonize your body with these activities and conditions like these heal.
  • Shineric Dec 18, 2011 @ 1:00 pm | delete
    Hey thanks for this page it gives me so much knowledge on the topic my main problem
    Is that when I wake up and throughout he day I have a lot of mucous constantly and don't know why and then have tonsil stones which smell horribly and feel like something is stuck in my throat & I know they stink which makes me very self conscious about my breath because I know it smells because tonsil stones are 1 in my mouth an stink very badly so is that what is causing my bad breath ? And what specific food should I try avoiding mostly dairy ?
  • SEAN Apr 22, 2012 @ 10:08 am | delete
    AVOID like the Plague crackers,cheese Its,potato chips,corn chips, pie crusts, and any fine grained powdery pasty foodstuffs aka snack foods. These get into the "Pockets" in the tonsils and cause more grief. Other questionable foods could be fries and mashed foods. These are harder to give up but could be a start. I can't say what the original source of the issues are but I do have post nasal and clearing throat issues.
    I also like to "wash" my food down frequently. I would also suggest eating smaller bites of food as too much at once forces food to crowd into the tonsils on the way down. This again allows pockets to fill. I have had some success with gargling with dilute hydrogen peroxide 3% I believe. Absolutely do not swallow it. I do it about 3 times in 5 minute increments without rinsing it off with water in extreme cases. On bad days your mouth might foam up like it's full of toothpaste. Just keep spitting it out. I use good bacteria yogurt to sooth my tonsils and throat as well. I think the good bacteria fight the bad and that is always a good deal. Advice if your tonsils bleed while fishing for stones, Stop fishing, and use peroxide and let them heal a day or two before you resume. Some one asked about baking soda. I have noticed a relationship with food products with b.soda. Avoid it too. Alternatives to peroxide in lesser effectiveness is frequent rinsing with water and salt water. Don't let your mouth dry out. Carry a bottle of water around always. I am also thinking of adding vinegar to the rinse cycle. I even suspect pickled foods might actually benefit us. Symptoms of stones are metallic taste in the mouth sometimes out of the blue. Stinky white to yellow pasty or gritty objects found on the tongue. Usually for it's size the most foul smell you have ever smelled in your life. Sometimes they have absolutely no scent whatsoever.
  • IH Dec 14, 2011 @ 7:30 am | delete
    Wow! This post is great! I've suffered from tonsil stones all my life but after changing my lifestyle almost completely (now doing kundalini every morning, not drinking more than two glasses and that rarely and eating more healthy), I've almost got rid of them all! This post just made my decicions clearer. Thank you!
  • Ben Dec 6, 2011 @ 2:36 pm | delete
    I am quite paranoid that tonsil stones harbor a lot of nasty bacteria (and viruses?) (encapsulated in biofilm and/or mineral deposits?). I was wondering if you accidentally consumed one, i.e. eating something that caused it to dislodge and then swallowed it, could it spread infection elsewhere? Or make you sick to your stomach?
  • Mill Tom Dec 6, 2011 @ 1:17 pm | delete
    Over the weekend I kept tasting cigarettes (I don't smoke and haven't done for over 10 years). I had it every now and then and then everything I drank tasted of them. After a weekend with a sore throat and earache I decided to investigate and found some stones in my left tonsil. I removed these immediately but since have had a funny taste in my mouth constantly. I am very conscious of it and am sure my breath must smell awful. Is this normal. It no longer tastes of cigarettes it is just disgusting. After reading how bad tonsil stones smell I did smell one (who could resist after reading that) and wonder if it is a bit psychologoical now! I have felt lumps again today but can't see anything yet. I have made no changes to diet or exercise so assume it must be some kind of bacteria or virus being fought - my son and husband recently had hand foot and mouth but I didn't get it - could it be that???
  • Someone. Dec 1, 2011 @ 6:42 pm | delete
    Hi, I have recently got tonsil stones and it is extremely unpleasant! I am 14 years old and I try gargling and eating healthily but it doesn't seem to get rid of them. I am to scared to get the tonsil stones out with my finger or Q tip as I will gag. Is their any other way of getting rid of them or taking them out without making me gag?
  • Annon Nov 28, 2011 @ 9:55 pm | delete
    Thanks for this article! I honestly never knew what a tonsil stone was until reading this. I used to get them all the time and figured it was just food particles. I had changed my diet to mostly plant based and very healthy about a year ago and they disappeared. I should also mention that I'm a celiac. But a few days ago was Thanksgiving and I know that I got contaminated with gluten and I had dairy (which I normally try to avoid). It was odd because a few hours after eating I started getting a sore throat. It got worse over a few days and tonight I checked out my throat and saw the stones back there. I hadn't had them in so long, I decided to google if this was normal. I had no idea that this had an actual name! But I can honestly say that for me staying away from gluten and dairy definitely helps!
  • DD Nov 1, 2011 @ 5:37 pm | delete
    Thanks for the post. I see that a few people report experiencing the stones after running. Is it possible that the initial stress from running, if you've otherwise led a sedentary lifestyle, will cause these initially? Or is it more likely that the heavy breathing/jogging/body movement has either jarred them loose or caused the lymph nodes to start doing their job again?
  • davapava Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    Running helps to circulate fluids and it is possible that these stones appear as a result. Especially if you have lived a couch potato lifestyle.
  • Damaged4life Nov 1, 2011 @ 2:23 pm | delete
    I would like to know if oral sex can cause this especially swallowing sperm
  • davapava Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:36 am | delete
    I wouldn't say that sperm per say can cause these stones but if your partner has STD then the stones might appear as a result of the body fighting of an infection.
  • Juliet Oct 17, 2011 @ 10:03 pm | delete
    This is by far one of the most resourceful sites on the subject that I have seen to date. I get these stones from time to time and I do notive that they come out when I exercise. I have definitely noticed an increase in tonsil stones when I consume pasta or bread. My son, only 6, seems to get them far more than do I. I think its because he has post nasal drip but also he just has superr large tonsils. Anyway I see many people commenting on how to clean the tonsils. I think that sticking something in once's tonsils often leads to inflammation. There is a better way. I use a water pic (on the lowest setting) to clean the tonsils. This combined with a netti pot, keeps that area super clean and is the least invasive way. Also, usually in the winter months, put a few drops of tea tree oil in the water pic and that has a great antibacterial effect.
  • Yr Oct 28, 2011 @ 3:55 pm | delete
    Please get tested at your doctor, you could be celiac, an autoimmune disease
  • davapava Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:47 am | delete
    You are right on target. When you exercis, lymph gets cleaned and waste gets removed. Tonsil stones may appear more frequently if you just started a new healthier routine because they are a part of a healing reaction. However, they should disappear once the body has fully healed itself.
  • Visitor May 9, 2012 @ 12:55 pm | delete
    So if somebody follows your advice, and the tonsil stones go away, it's because your advice is good.

    If somebody follows your advice and the tonsil stones increase, it's because of toxins leaving the body, and it ALSO means your advice is good.

    Wow, what a win-win.
  • ErHawkns7100 Oct 17, 2011 @ 3:08 pm | delete
    Now I wish I never had my tonsils taken out. If only I knew more back then.
  • woot! Nov 24, 2011 @ 1:32 am | delete
    To anyone else thinking this also:

    Don't worry, the tonsils are just the biggest parts of the lymphatic system located all over the inside of your throat there. It's as if you removed just one kidney. You are still able to do everything, don't worry, ba dump bump, be happy.
  • marianne_sequeira Oct 15, 2011 @ 7:45 am | delete
    Great lens .... very informative... I have had a tonsil stone once .... great to have found this lens .... did not know allergy causes tonsil stones
  • a-non Oct 12, 2011 @ 12:42 pm | delete
    WOW! Im so glad I found this! I never even knew what that stuff coming out of my tonsils was called. I used to get them alot as a child, about 7-8yrs. But as I got older, I wouldnt get them as frequently. I even forgot I ever had gotten them after a while. Now Im almost 22 and Im starting to get them alot. This morning I pushed out more stones then ever before, which lead me to find this artical. I was beginning to think perhaps my kidneys were having a hard time doing their job since my tonsils are pushing all those stones out.
  • Boo for serious May 19, 2012 @ 12:35 pm | delete
    If your the brave type, then I would recommend having sergery. Go see your doctor and they will book an appointment with a throat/ear/nose specialist. I used to have tonsil stones, but they weren't hurting me, they just caused bad breath and I would always get these big yellowish ball coming from my tonsils. Sergery might seem scary but if you look in the future, it's for a really good cause. I won't lie, afterward my throat was hurting for a week at most. I look now and I'm so greatfyl not to have those tonsil stones. The pain was bad but the doctors also give you medicine. It will be fine....
    Also the reason why I had sergery was because I had already tried all those natural treatments and they didn't work for me.
    The doctor told me that if I didn't want to have sergery, he could have given me antibiotics but they don't get rid of anything. The natural treatments only get rid of them temporarily but sergery is permenant.
    Choose wisely....
    Good luck to all.

    Boo is serious
  • mazhug@gmail.com Sep 29, 2011 @ 5:49 am | delete
    Thank you for the post. As a child I had repeated tonsillitis and as an adult I get it intermittently and as recently as last December although I'm now 43! It occurred after 2 severe bouts of sinus infections which lead to tracheitis, chest infection and the tonsillitis. As a result of repeated tonsillitis my tonsils are permanently enlarged but about 3 years ago these tonsil stones started appearing. At 1st I thought they were tonsillitis about to flare but there was no pain or redness just the feeling of something stuck on the back of my throat like a large breadcrumb and the white spots were visible.
    Anyway I manually removed them once I found out what they were as I couldn't bear the thoughts of accidently swallowing them (I'm sure I've probably swallowed heaps but it's the thoughts of it). I can't say I'd recommend my methods as it's probably not the safest but works for me. The cotton buds etc didn't work but what did was a very narrow fabric coated flexible hairband and one day in an emergency the arm of a pair of sunglasses. I push at the most accessible side of the stone (where I'm least likely to gag and where I can scoop the stone when it pops) and usually it pops out quickly with no pain and no after effects (again I stress this works for me but wouldn't recommend). They only appear in one tonsil and that tonsil is now significantly smaller than the other where it would have been the larger of the 2.
    I suffer from chronic sinusitis and have constant post nasal drip. I've tried excluding dairy and wheat and where it does seem to lessen it doesn't disappear. During the Summer the pollens cause sinus issues but doesn't seem to be grass pollen. Several colleagues have the same problem and we all react on similar days whether we are in work or not. Mould is a very definite trigger for me and this time of year is particularly bad with all the leaves falling and rotting. I don't keep plants in my house as I discovered if any mould grew in the soil I would be reduced to coughing fits.
    In regard to the tonsil stones and their formation this is most likely from the above allergies etc. Stress seems to be what pushes them to the surface for me. I had multiple stones appear over several weeks around the time my father died and thereafter very few. Recently they have been appearing again and lo and behold another extremely stressful time in my life with my mother in hospital for the last 3 weeks after major surgery and the death of her sister amongst several other things all at the same time. I had a couple of stones about 2 weeks ago and another this morning and that has confirmed the role stress has to play in them to me.
    I am definitely going to try the supplements and I currently already practice yoga and exercise frequently but your article will certainly provide the incentive for me to continue.
  • davapava Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:53 am | delete
    I can also recommend you to go and see a traditional chinese medicine doctor and see what he has to say about your condition. They work on balancing your entire body which would also help for your allergy and sinus infection. I hope you get to the bottom of your problem so that you can relax. Best wishes!
  • Jeho Sep 24, 2011 @ 12:37 am | delete
    as i've read this, it kinda c0nflict with what my d0ct0rs say... they say, it'd be 0k t0 rem0ve the t0nsils c0z it'd st0p my sufferings with my re0ccurring t0nsils... but n0w, i'm cl0se int0 realizing that i sh0uldn't let them rem0ve mine c0z it is a c0unterpart 0f what the fucti0ns 0f 0ur liver are... i'm afraid... am i g0nna die 0r suffer much if this w0n't be rem0ved??? i've seen the pictures 0f the t0nsil st0nes... & mine is much bigger, much spread 0ut and i can hardly speak (*feels like s0mething is stuck in my thr0at)...
  • davapava Nov 4, 2011 @ 8:57 am | delete
    Yes it does conflict with what many doctors say, and I don't say that you shouldn't trust your doctors. You could get a second opinion form a TCM (traditional chinese medicine) doctor and listen to what he has to say about your condition. I hope you find this helpful. All the best!
  • Ketti Sep 20, 2011 @ 9:02 am | delete
    Hello! I am so glad I discovered this article too! I have one question...How soon after an allgery or reaction to a food allgery would a tonsil stone appear? I only get them now and again. If I woke up this AM with one is that from somthing I ate the day before? or something I ate that week?
  • davapava Sep 21, 2011 @ 12:23 pm | delete
    I have no good answer to give you here:). My own experience is about one day. I remember cooking a mushroom dish with lots of cream and fat served on toast bread. The day after I was out running and I suddenly coughed up two large tonsil stones.

    So, for me these stones can form rather quickly. You have to be aware and see how fast the stones form for you :)

    Best Wishes!
  • Mwende Sep 2, 2011 @ 3:24 pm | delete
    I have a problem with my breath every morning and at times I get this stones, sometime when I wake up in the morning I have to spit some mucus secretions which seems to come from above the tonsils, are the mucus secretions and stones related?
  • Gill Aug 31, 2011 @ 12:46 pm | delete
    Hi, I'm 34 and have had these little stones which are not visable around my tonsils but I cough them up occasionally and they are horrible. I have a constant feeling of something stuck in my throat (like hair or wool) Can you offer any tips on the main foods or liquids which cause these, I don't eat much dairy or refined foods, is there any other things that cause this?

    Cheers, G
  • davapava Sep 2, 2011 @ 12:09 pm | delete
    Hmm, do you smoke, drink alcohol, soda or have allergy? You can make a little mini-investigation yourself by removing 1 product for a week and see if there's any difference. The feeling of something stuck in your throat might be because your tonsils are enlarged, but I'm just guessing.

    Cheers!
  • Meg Aug 22, 2011 @ 6:24 pm | delete
    Thank you for the article! I was worried these were a sign of an infection or something that was cause for alarm... Knowing they can be managed and that I shouldn't worry is great! I have allergies, and lately I have had post-nasal drip since the seasons are changing - and the stones have been more frequent. I don't know if I can give up dairy altogether.... but knowing I can just manage the stones and that they are an immune response and not a full sign of infection is great. Thanks again!
  • davapava Aug 26, 2011 @ 5:25 am | delete
    I'm glad I could help:) You can try to switch to diary produced by grass fed and well-taken-care-of cows. This is of superior quality and might not upset your system as much.
  • dea Aug 17, 2011 @ 8:12 pm | delete
    Thank you for this artical. I am 16 and I was 15 when i got them i was taking a shower and started choking and cough out a stone I was so scared at first. then i asked my doctor what it was and she told me since i have allergies it causes tonsil stones. after time passed it got worse it cause sore throat for they and while i was sleeping they poped in my mouth and i had to get up and spit it out this even this also started happening in school and i had to keep napkins since i couldn't miss class. i had already planed to get my tonsils removed after reading i changed my mind. but does any know what i can do besides eating health and beeing health, because i eat very health and i am very health person???
  • davapava Aug 18, 2011 @ 3:53 am | delete
    Do you eat diary products such as milk and cheese? If you do, try to remove them for a while and see what happens. The key thing to remember is that something in your lifestyle is causing the stones to appear, something that upsets your tonsils. It is a high chance it is food, but it could also be allergy, infections, etc..

    Stress can also be a contributing factor.. are you stressed?
  • dea Aug 19, 2011 @ 12:44 am | delete
    I do use diary products cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, milk i will stop using this products for a while and see the how it goes. as you mentioned that it can be from allergies and i do have allergies, allergies run in my family from my dad's side. And i do get stressed but i will try really hard to reduce my stress level, thank you very much for you advice.
  • davapava Aug 26, 2011 @ 5:23 am | delete
    It's not diary products per say that are the problem, it's low quality diary products that are hard for the body to break down. If you can, buy quality products derived from grass fed, organic cows that are well taken care for. These products will nurture you instead of hurting you.

    But for now, remove diary products and see what it does. Then in the future, when you feel you have healed your body, you can introduce it again.

    I would recommend that you try yoga to de-stress. It has helped me tremendously and it will likely give you harmony that so many people look for.

    Good luck!
  • Tina Aug 17, 2011 @ 10:16 am | delete
    Thank you for such great advice. I will try to alter my diet and buy the vitamin supplements. I think mine are tied to post nasal drip during allergy season and dairy. We shall see. Enjoy your tea!
  • davapava Aug 17, 2011 @ 12:16 pm | delete
    Thank-you and please keep us updated on how it goes. :) please ask if you have some questions..
  • Bob Aug 10, 2011 @ 7:02 pm | delete
    I have tonsil stones and they are pretty bad. I tried removing them a few weeks ago when they became extremely unpleasant. I ended up irritating the tonsils so bad that they bled a long time. A few days later I developed a sore throat, swollen tonsils and some more stones. Now, a couple weeks later, I have swollen lymph nodes in my groin. I have one that comes and goes in my armpit too. My question is... Could these tonsil stones, along with all of the irritation I caused to the tonsils, have caused an infection that my body is now trying to fight off?
  • davapava Aug 13, 2011 @ 6:38 am | delete
    I'm no doctor and this is just my personal opinion. It sounds as if your body has an infection that it is fighting. The swollen lymph node in your armpit that comes and goes can very well be a sign of that. If your tonsils are functioning poorly, then an infection can very well spread to other places in your body. They just don't have the energy to contain the infection. If you irritate the tonsils then you lower their ability to function. I would be very careful about that and try to let the tonsils heal.

    There are certain herbs such as goldenseal and echinacea that can help the tonsils to recover, as well as exercise in combination with improving your diet. The book I recommended in my article is what I recommend.

    Do you have allergy or any other immune system disorder?
  • Cerise Jul 29, 2011 @ 9:34 pm | delete
    Thank you so much for this article it has helped me underrstand why I get them &calmed my mom from thinking it was strep or tonsilitous. once again THANK YOU ^.^
  • davapava Jul 17, 2011 @ 2:23 am | delete
    Thank you Jeffrey for your Yogi Tea gift! :) Take care..
  • Shan Jul 7, 2011 @ 7:00 am | delete
    are the holes caused by this curable?
  • davapava Jul 7, 2011 @ 8:01 am | delete
    Are the holes you are referring to the tonsil crypts? The tonsil crypts, are where the waste material is put to get out of the body. They function just like sweat glands. If the tonsil crypts have been damaged, they will heal themselves if they are allowed to rest.

    These are the only holes I can think of.. :)
  • Juan Jul 7, 2011 @ 6:58 am | delete
    Will the holes caused by this be cured?
  • Tomorer Jun 27, 2011 @ 12:43 pm | delete
    Great work here !! I have sinus issues & get tonsil stones pretty often... I had heard the tonsils caught nasal fluids and they went bad, altho this explaination is far more satisfactory. The lymph in my head goes to my tonsils. Conversely, rather than milk getting caught in my mouth and going bad as I had thought until today, it is in fact an issue of nutrition, and getting troublesome nutrients out of the system. Now I can eat cereal again altho refrain from downing a pint along with it.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:36 pm | delete
    I as well thought it had to do with debris at first, but when I researched the topic and eliminated certain foods I realized that it had to do with diet. Bless you and hope you get to the root of the issue.

    Thank you for your donation as well :) I have never tried Teapigs, and I will try to find it.
  • WaMi Jun 24, 2011 @ 10:52 am | delete
    Now I understand why this annoying stuff is happening to me. Thank you for your great article! I really appreciate it! :]
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:37 pm | delete
    I am glad you liked it! :)
  • howtocurecancer Jun 22, 2011 @ 12:39 am | delete
    Blessed by a Squid Angel.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:38 pm | delete
    Thank you very much! :)
  • sloh_sisao Jun 16, 2011 @ 12:02 am | delete
    My co-worker is CLT (certified lymphatic therapist). This makes complete sense! I have just spent the last 15 minutes trying to use q-tips, H2o2 and an irrigation syringe to try to get these stink balls out of my tonsils and I've had no success. Little did I know that I have the resources right at my fingertips! I am going to report back after I talk to her. Nice job describing the lymph system, by the way ;)
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:41 pm | delete
    It's quite uncomfortable getting these things out of your mouth. The first time was the hardest though, but since I changed my diet, these doesn't appear anymore. :)
  • Liga Jun 10, 2011 @ 7:42 am | delete
    Very helpful. Thank you very much!
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:41 pm | delete
    Thank you! :)
  • yoyo May 22, 2011 @ 7:29 am | delete
    What the writer has said makes a lot of sense. I have read before that it is a build up of food particles which I didnt really believe,as everyone eats and not everyone gets this highly embarassing, highly smelling stones....yuk.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:42 pm | delete
    Thank you for your kind words :)
  • ZEUS Apr 18, 2011 @ 12:07 pm | delete
    Makes sense, the only time I've ever seen these is the day after I've drank a lot of pop. After reading this I can tell that my diet is my problem, when I eat better, I have no throat issues. I used to eat garbage and had a lot of sore throats.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:43 pm | delete
    I had the same experience and when I changed my diet, the stones disappeared. :)
  • MinnesotaGopher Apr 2, 2011 @ 9:01 pm | delete
    The blog is a nice touch! I am a little bummed it doesn't include the AWESOME benefits tonsil stone sufferers have experienced from gargling with water and liquid grapefruit seed extract (GSE). Just 5-10 drops of GSE and a 5-7 oz glass of water (2-3x/day) has SIGNIFICANTLY improved (if not completely stopped) my case of tonsil stones. My wife loves it also :)
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:44 pm | delete
    I will add this advice.. thanks! :)
  • Julie Mar 4, 2011 @ 9:57 am | delete
    Who wrote this? What sort of credentials do you have and why isn't this published in a medical journal?
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:44 pm | delete
    I don't have any credentials other than my own brain. Perhaps some doctor will come to the same realization as I have and will publish it in a medical journal. :)
  • Anon Feb 1, 2011 @ 10:56 pm | delete
    WOW, what a thorough explanation
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:45 pm | delete
    I'm glad you liked it! :)
  • Health Nut Dec 29, 2010 @ 5:56 pm | delete
    Exellent post and very helpful to me. Thanks thanks thanks.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:45 pm | delete
    I'm very glad you liked it so much :)
  • Gabriela Dec 20, 2010 @ 10:48 pm | delete
    Oh, my goodnes. Thank you so much for this.
  • davapava Jun 27, 2011 @ 2:46 pm | delete
    I hope you can get rid of these stones by following the advice in the article.
  • Mrs B Aug 3, 2011 @ 3:48 am | delete
    Hi, thank you for writing this article!!! I hope you get acknowledged for t.
    I am 32 years and my problems started jan this year when I came back from maternity leave. I can not think of any thing that I have changed in my diet, I think I eat healthy....The only thing I do now that i did no do before is drink more coffee (with milk). Is coffee bad if you have these problems? why did I get this now??? I have read that most get this when they are over 25. Sorry for the long text I just hate this problem I am having.
  • davapava Aug 3, 2011 @ 4:43 am | delete
    Hi, I understand how you feel. Even small changes to ones lifestyle can produce big effects. The thing is that these stones do not show up at once, but after many months or even years. When you are young, you can basically eat anything you want because your body is healthy and 'fresh,' and it will remove any waste products easily. But it will wear down in the long term and give you problems when you are older.

    Coffee can give you these problems because it is hard on the system. It is a stimulant and it produces a lot of waste. Pregnancy can also be a factor, since the hormonal balance gets shifted during pregnancy and it takes time before your body has recuperated. If you add something to the diet at that time when your body is not at its best, it could well give you these stones as a sign to change something in your lifestyle.

    Try to reduce or remove coffee, or try drinking it without milk for a period of time, say 2 - 3 weeks and see if it changes anything.

    Remember that the tonsils are filtering out stuff that enters the body via mouth, nose, ears and eyes. In most cases, it is through the mouth. Try to identify the food that is causing the problem and then remove it.

    I hope this will help you, :) and please do ask if it is anything else you need help with. :)
  • Mrs B Aug 3, 2011 @ 7:04 am | delete
    Hi again, I just saw that you are swedish :-) Me too.
    I can not drink coffee without milk so from today I will try to stop drinking coffee.... Now that I have thought about what I eat I realized that since 2009 I have been eating natural yoghurt 3% fat almost everyday... I eat yoghurt in the evening as a healthy alternative to a sandwich...of course now it turners out to be bad...grrr
  • davapava Aug 3, 2011 @ 7:47 am | delete
    What a coincidence! :) must be fate :).

    Yoghurt is easier for the body to handle than milk for example because it is fermented. But diary products as a whole have been known to cause tonsil stones. If you can, try eliminating all diary products for a while and see if things become better. If the stones disappear, then add one product at a time to see if the stones appear again. That way you can narrow it down to what type of food is causing tonsil stones to appear.

    You can also try removing white wheat products and substitute for whole grain, if you haven't already.

    Another tip is to not eat after 23.00, ideally 19.00 or 20.00 because the liver has its cycle of regeneration at that time. If food is being processed at that time the liver misses its chance to recuperate, which produces more waste products and draws energy from all organs and systems in your body.

    This is hard to change if you have learned to eat at night or the evening, but you can always subtract 15 minutes each month from the time of your last meal.

    Keep me posted on how things turn out for you!

    Take care and sat nam!
  • Mrs B Aug 4, 2011 @ 4:14 am | delete
    Hi again, thanks for your reply.
    I have some another questions...I have read that the stones usually affect people who have had lost of throat infections, is that true? My sister also had this problem for awhile when she was in her 30s but it went away by itself. I do not think she changed anything in her diet. I have holes in my tonsils think I got them after having a really bad pain in my throat 2 times during 4 days in the period of 2 weeks. When I take out the stones I looks like I get more holes. Do you think they will disappear? Thanks for your time :-)
  • davapava Aug 4, 2011 @ 7:07 am | delete
    Your reply didn't show up for some reason?

    Throat infections are a sign that something foreign in the throat is being removed by the tonsils. If a person had lots of throat infections, it could mean that scars have developed in the tonsils and its work capacity has been reduced. The tonsils then become under active and the stones occur as a result.

    The holes that you see in your tonsils are the tonsil crypts, which are hollow formations that the tonsils put their waste. They can become larger in order for the waste to get out more easily. The tissue is flexible and it will go back to normal size once your tonsils heal.

    Tonsil stones can be a tricky condition since it is caused by lifestyle and diet. Stress can also produce these stones in combination with diet, allergy etc. It is often more than one factor that causes tonsil stones. Your sister had something that increased the activity of the immune system which produced excess waste products in the lymph fluid, which made the tonsils under active and ultimately produced tonsil stones.

    If you have more questions please ask! :)
  • ff Mar 10, 2012 @ 9:25 am | delete
    hi do u know if chewing tobaco or in sweden" snus" cause these stones

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