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Both tonsils have disappeared
I contracted Lyme 4 years ago and have been fighting viruses ever since. HPV and EBV reactivated, I developed Chronic Sinusitis, have fluid behind both ears, post nasal drip and a sore throat. I’ve been struggling trying to get better. I recently discovered my tonsils are gone when I checked my most recent sore throat. They were there a few months ago. I practice good oral hygiene and salt water gargle when throat is sore. I’m 61 yo and wondering if anyone has heard of this happening. I can’t seem to find much information. Thank you.
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@tricia7 Have you had this confirmed by your PCP? Is it possible that all the irritation you are suffering has caused swelling at the back of the throat making them seem to be gone?
Yes. I visited an Urgent Care last week because my throat pain and swollen glands were getting worse. It was a NP who informed me I didn’t have my tonsils. They thought I had them removed. I couldn’t believe it. I’ve been fighting something awful since Lyme. I think my neck glands swelled when my tonsils gave up about 8 weeks ago.
Hello @tricia7. I am surprised that no-one has informed you that tonsils atrophy away with age. My tonsils did, and my ENT said that it is a perfectly normal phenomenon! At age 60, they began shrinking, and now--five years later-- are not visible.
Some things actually do get better with age!
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1 ReactionThank you for your reply. I knew they shrink with age but did know they completely disappear. It seemed odd they were there a couple of months ago and disappeared when my neck glands swelled up. It seems like the lymph nodes in my neck have taken over for my tonsils. Thanks again for the reassurance.
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1 ReactionMy tonsils disappeared one at a time. My left tonsil disappeared after coughing out what I thought was just a huge tonsil stone the size of a marble in the middle of the night. I got on here and it said tonsils can disappear when we age, that was a year ago. So I didn't bother mentioning it to my Doctor. Now I am having lymphoma symptoms and they are doing a needle biopsy in a couple weeks to try to confirm that is what is going on.
A couple days ago it felt like my right eustachian tube was clogged up a problem I have had off an on since I was a little kid, so I sucked on it expecting to relieve the pressure a little and what I got instead was a bloody chunk of gunk. The remaining tonsil was gone this was not a gradual disappearance at all it was present the day before and now it is gone. My throat is sore. With the other issues I've been having, I will be mentioning it to my doctor. Age related disappearance should be a gradual process, shouldn't it?