Tonsil stones and what causes them

Tonsil stones and what causes them

Tonsil stones, also known medically as tonsilloliths, are actually very common and can also be very irritating. These may appear as white, beige or yellowish patches on the tonsils and may feel uncomfortable, as if something is stuck in your throat. Another symptom can be very bad breath. Sometimes these can be coughed up, but they don't all fall out easily. What exactly are these animal tonsil stones and what can you do about them?

These are actually masses of mucus and bacteria that form around tiny food particles that can become trapped in tonsil crypts, which are simply pockets or depressions in the surface of your tonsils (for this reason, the condition of having tonsil stones may also be known as “cryptic tonsils”). They generally do not cause any physical harm, but they can be unpleasant and bad breath can be something no one wants to endure. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics for this, but they often do nothing because they're not quite the right tool for the right job.

Only recently have tonsil stones and their causes been fully researched and understood, which is why most doctors think antibiotics can help. They might often mistake these as precursors to tonsillitis and recommend a tonsillectomy when the antibiotics seem to have no effect. But the truth is that removing your tonsils is not necessary at all and would be like cutting down an apple tree just because you found a worm in two or three apples. There are herbal remedies to permanently rid us of tonsil stones and drastic surgery is simply not necessary. If a tonsillectomy is suggested to relieve you of tonsil stones, it is advisable to seek a second opinion, perhaps from a naturopathic doctor or a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) doctor.