What are tonsil stones

Tonsil stones mostly occur in the crypts above the tonsils, which are blocked for a long time and the secretions are not drained smoothly, resulting in the accumulation of cheesy substances, causing insoluble inorganic salts such as calcium and magnesium to deposit and form stones. The core may be a small foreign body, desquamated epithelial cells or bacteria. Stones often occur around ciliated hyphae.

Causes

Age factors, bacterial infection and drug factors.

1. Bacterial infection: Food residues can easily lead to bacteria. Under the action of bacteria, they will slowly rot, harden and form stones.

2. Drug factors: Prescription drugs such as high blood pressure medications, painkillers and antidepressants can also cause tonsil stones. This is because a side effect of these drugs is a dry mouth, which means the tonsils don't have enough saliva to wash away food and bacteria. Tonsil stones form when lumps of calcified food, mucus, and bacteria become lodged in the pits of the tonsils.

3. Age: Adults’ tonsils are larger and have a more uneven surface. As your tonsils grow, these "pits" become larger, making it easier for food to become trapped inside and form stones.

Clinical manifestations

Common symptoms include difficulty swallowing, difficulty opening the mouth, ear pain, sore throat, etc.

1. If there is purulent infection around the stone, there may be sore throat and reflex ear pain; in severe cases, there may be difficulty in swallowing, slurred speech, increased saliva, difficulty opening the mouth, etc.

2. Tonsil stones are tiny, but they block the tonsil ducts or crypts, causing poor drainage, bacterial growth or accumulation of food residues, and producing unpleasant bad breath with a rotten egg smell, which seriously affects the patient's quality of life.

3. Small white spots appear on the tonsils, but sometimes these small white spots cannot be seen; swallowing may be difficult or accompanied by pain.

examine

1. Probe exploration: Hard objects with rustling sounds are often touched, such as granulation tissue or purulent sinus tracts in the tonsils or palatoglossal arches.

2. Finger palpation: Deep stones are easy to detect.

3.X-ray examination: stones may be detected.

4. Tissue section: Stones are found during tonsillectomy.

treat

1. Small stones: can be removed with a scraper or forceps, and some can be removed by negative pressure suction.

2. Large stones: Remove them by incising the mucosa under surface anesthesia, but prevent them from falling into the respiratory tract.

3. Local treatment: If the surrounding inflammation is caused by irritation from the stones, local treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs can be used, such as gargles to eliminate tonsil stones. Alternatively, you can use a patch to apply the medicine directly to the corresponding area of ​​the mandible and tonsils to achieve the purpose of clearing away heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling and dispersing nodules.

4. Resection: For stubborn tonsil stones that are not effectively treated with conservative treatment, tonsillectomy can be considered to eliminate pharyngeal discomfort and bad breath.

prevention

1. Pay attention to proper rest, avoid excessive fatigue, combine work and rest, and get a good rest, which is conducive to recovery from fatigue; increasing exercise can enhance physical strength and disease resistance. The combination of the two can lead to better recovery.

2. Pay attention to a light diet to prevent colds. It is recommended to quit smoking and drinking, drink more water and pay attention to maintenance.