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Food getting caught in tonsil-Concerned
I've been having problems with food getting caught in my tonsil, only on the left hand side. I've done some reseach on the subject and I believe it is getting caught in what they called the Palatoglossal Fold or the Palatopharyngeal Fold. Sometimes I can clean the fold out my self, I use a waterpick on low pressure and the food comes out. Sometimes I can't get it out of the fold right away and my left tonsil or fold starts to hurt, because the food starts to rot. Needless to say it is a cause for concern for me. When the food has been caught in the fold or tonsil for a longer period of time, I can feel the food rubbing against the inside of the fold. So I put a Q-Tip back there and there was a small amount of blood, the food had cut me. I mean that can't be healthy if the food gets stuck in the fold for to long. Is there any way to correct this or is my best bet to get my tonsils removed? What kind of damage am I doing when the food is stuck in the fold for an extended period of time. Sometimes it happens a couple times in a week and sometimes it doesn't happen for a couple of weeks. Any info on this subject would be helpful. Thank you in advance for you time.
Jake73
Jake73
If your tonsils are swollen with white spots or angry redness, see a doctor. This is likely tonsillitis and needs to be treated with an antibiotic. If it becomes chronic, tonsillectomy is recommended.
If it is just irritation from something getting "caught" there... continue reading.
I have this same problem but only with pills and no issue with food or liquids. The smaller the pill, the higher the likelihood it will be stuck in my throat for the foreseeable future. I finally realized I was swallowing pills differently. I was tipping my head back... Something I did not do while eating a general meal.
***TRY THIS***
When you swallow, rather than tipping your head back, tuck your chin downward. This creates a better seal over the posterior nasal cavities by pressing the salpingopharyngeal fold backward.
***If you have something CURRENTLY stuck***
-Tuck your chin slightly downward
-Give a few short burst-like snorts as far back toward your soft palate as possible (like you're trying to clear mucus from your posterior nasal passages) until the item dislodges.
-KEEP YOUR CHIN TUCKED as you swallow.
-If the item is inadvertently inhaled, keep your chin tucked as you cough. This will prevent the item from shooting back up behind the soft palate as it's expelled from the trachea, allowing you to safely swallow it instead.
This can be caused by anatomical malformations, surgical nerve trauma (thyroid, tonsils/adenoids, oral/dental, etc) or (more likely) cervical spine misalignment/ nerve impingement that weakens the response by associated nerves to the various throat muscles.
When the nerve is weaker, the glossopharyngeal fold does not raise enough to properly seal the nasal cavity. We are always taught to tip our head back when swallowing which actually has the opposite effect were looking for when the glossopharyngeal fold is weak or dysfunctional. Tucking the chin forward and down resolves this dysfunction by engaging an additional muscle group.
A weekly or biweekly chiropractic adjustment has helped me tremendously! No more pills stuck in my throat, throat burning, irritation, tension headaches, or super annoying sniffling and snorting and coughing!
If you don't know of a reputable, appropriately credentialed and experienced chiropractor, biweekly deep tissue massage, acupuncture, yoga and diaphragmatic breathing exercises can all help build muscle strength, release muscle tension causing misalignment, and increase sensitivity and responsivity of the nerves associated. Some people have gotten relief from regularly singing to increase muscle control in the larynx and pharynx.
Hope this helps!
Wishing you all lump free throats and resolution of your pain!
If it is just irritation from something getting "caught" there... continue reading.
I have this same problem but only with pills and no issue with food or liquids. The smaller the pill, the higher the likelihood it will be stuck in my throat for the foreseeable future. I finally realized I was swallowing pills differently. I was tipping my head back... Something I did not do while eating a general meal.
***TRY THIS***
When you swallow, rather than tipping your head back, tuck your chin downward. This creates a better seal over the posterior nasal cavities by pressing the salpingopharyngeal fold backward.
***If you have something CURRENTLY stuck***
-Tuck your chin slightly downward
-Give a few short burst-like snorts as far back toward your soft palate as possible (like you're trying to clear mucus from your posterior nasal passages) until the item dislodges.
-KEEP YOUR CHIN TUCKED as you swallow.
-If the item is inadvertently inhaled, keep your chin tucked as you cough. This will prevent the item from shooting back up behind the soft palate as it's expelled from the trachea, allowing you to safely swallow it instead.
This can be caused by anatomical malformations, surgical nerve trauma (thyroid, tonsils/adenoids, oral/dental, etc) or (more likely) cervical spine misalignment/ nerve impingement that weakens the response by associated nerves to the various throat muscles.
When the nerve is weaker, the glossopharyngeal fold does not raise enough to properly seal the nasal cavity. We are always taught to tip our head back when swallowing which actually has the opposite effect were looking for when the glossopharyngeal fold is weak or dysfunctional. Tucking the chin forward and down resolves this dysfunction by engaging an additional muscle group.
A weekly or biweekly chiropractic adjustment has helped me tremendously! No more pills stuck in my throat, throat burning, irritation, tension headaches, or super annoying sniffling and snorting and coughing!
If you don't know of a reputable, appropriately credentialed and experienced chiropractor, biweekly deep tissue massage, acupuncture, yoga and diaphragmatic breathing exercises can all help build muscle strength, release muscle tension causing misalignment, and increase sensitivity and responsivity of the nerves associated. Some people have gotten relief from regularly singing to increase muscle control in the larynx and pharynx.
Hope this helps!
Wishing you all lump free throats and resolution of your pain!
The left side of my throat was very swollen and both of my ears were aching for about a week. I looked at my tonsils and thought the left side was infected. I could see a white spot, but I sprayed my throat with chloraseptic, saturated a q-tip and pressed on my swollen tonsil. Now this sounds really gross, but there were several big chunks of food that were stuck back there. I am brushing my teeth at least twice a day, gargling with mouthwash and I just keep an eye on my left tonsil now. I hope this helps. This is a huge inconvenience when it happens to me.
Hey just last night its happened to me on the right hand side and its very uncomfortable, I was freaking out thing it was caught in my vocal chords. I went to so many sites offering home remedies but nothing =(
I can still feel it and want it removed but ill probably have to see a doctor =( Thankyou Kyra for you help.
I can still feel it and want it removed but ill probably have to see a doctor =( Thankyou Kyra for you help.
Same this happened to me several years ago in both tonsils. The food is getting caught is "valleys" that have formed in your tonsils. They will not go away, and if anything will only get worse. I had to get mine removed for this reason at age 13 and my brother just got his removed for the same reason at age 36. See an ear-nose-throat specialist to get it done. You will be sore after the procedure for a few days and the small gland that hangs at the back of your throat (don't know the medical term) will swell to 10 times it's size, so make sure you ask for medications to reduce that swelling. Good Luck.
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