Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Disappearing Tonsil??

Hi there,

Recently I have had a problems with my left tonsil. Last year in June i had a bought of severe tonsilitus that was so bad they mistook it for quinsy in the left tonsil, and i ended up spending a night in hospital. They did not operate, however since this happened i've had persistent problems with my left tonsil. Since then it kind of appears as if it were receding back into my throat, and looked semi-atrophying and patchy and just generally weird. Recently i checked my tonsils, and the left one is gone! Like... it isn't there at ALL, and to the left of my throat where the tonsil used to be there is what looks like an oval-shaped hole in my throat. I've had a persistent painful throat for the last three months now and now that my tonsil has randomly disappeared im wondering if something is going on.
I went to the doctor today and he kind of rabbited on about blood tests.... so i'm getting those back on Monday (and im pretty positive that they will be clear but anyway) and he said he has never seen or heard of this happening before. I thought i'd double check with the greater medical community- does anyone know if this is a normal occurrence, for a tonsil to simply disappear, after months and months of persistent tonsil pain? Should I see a specialist or is this common?
11 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
actually it is absolutely possible. I have had both of mine fall out. I know they were because I had to spit them out and a doctor checked for them and they are very gone. she said she had heard of such thing happening but never seen it. So yes you can lose your tonsils on your own.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My son has dissapering tonsils and uvula.  We haven’t found the cause. But we believe it’s from some type of toxin he has been exposed to. Mycotoxins from black mold possibly.  He is 7 years old.  This week they have been gradually coming back.  We took him to 3 doctors with 3 different diagnoses.  It’s very frustrating as a parent dealing with non caring for profit doctors
Helpful - 0
20222920 tn?1492826937
I also was asked when I had my tonsils removed, never have...they think I'm crazy. I am 64 and suffered from many sore throats and toncillities when I was a teenager. I am now getting sore throats and it always feels like I have popcorn hulls stuck in my throat.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I probably have erosive lichen planus on tongue which is very sore, undergoing tests very soon but pictures would corroborate the diagnosis.  Can it cause tonsils to disappear?  You can get it in any mucosal areas, I probably have it in more than one place, my ears and eyes feel itchy sometimes and that comes and goes.  The medical profession are no very good at diagnosing it, I've been 4 years trying to get a diagnosis with no one believing me as I was constantly bothering the Dr.  3 dentists, 2 maxillofacial surgeons and 3 GPS later, I'm nearing the diagnosis as have got it elsewhere.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I have been dealing with tonsil stones the past few years and lately they have been a little bit better, not as many coming out and every day and night I brush my teeth and gargle and then I look at my tonsils to see if I can see anything and usually they look normal but tonight after gargling I noticed that my right tonsil is gone and my left is a bit swollen. But yea did I mention the right one is gone?!?!? I'm a non smoker I don't drink alcohol, and I have a history ofmultiple parotid gland masses, I've had strep throat maybe 3 times in my life other than that, I'm not sure what the deal is. Anyone find out anything please post.
Avatar universal
Just went to the Drs for my 9 year old daughter and they asked if I had her tonsils removed? Ah no! Apparently they have disappeared. She no longer has tonsils.. According to the Dr this is very young but can happen especially after lots of throat infections which we haven't really had but!!!! There it is all gone!! Weird!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
That happened to me too with both tonsils. I still got a damn terrible pain on my tonsils when i swallow. 3days ago i thought they have become bigger and infected, since that pain. But when i checked i was shocked. Tonsilities diseapeared from my throat and i had them since i was 7 years old, and now im 22.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I also had over large tonsils my entire life. Every ENT i have ever been too made some kind of comment about them. Never had mono, never had strep but i do get some random infection/virus (no one has ever found what exactly) once a year from the age of about 6 or so until now (age 30). I had a pretty weird case of tonsoliths constantly appearing over the last 7 or 8 months and then two days ago, my neck/ear area hurt. I didn't think much about it, but then today i was shocked. My left tonsil has reduced in size to the point where it almost doesn't exists and seems to be centered lower than normal. Also my right tonsil has reduced in size and looks quite different. All my searches on google have returned virtually no results. I did find some information about tonsil regression, where a mans tonsils can shrink due to age, but non of the examples were under 40, and non of the examples mentioned pain. What i have found are a few hundred different people all asking the same thing- My tonsil deflated/is gone/missing-what is  happening? Is there something wrong?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
don't know if anyone is still following this older post, but kat888's description of the tonsil disappearing on the left side is the same for me, altho i experience no pain, just what feels like irritation b/c of constant post nasal drip i have been plagued with for almost 10 years!  when i pull back on the stretch of skin at the back of my throat, i can see something that looks like a hole and tonsil stones form in it and around it often.  there doesn't look the same on the right side.  anyone know any more about this yet?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same thing. It's been years and the pain just gradually gets worse and more persistent. I recently went to the ent and they did a scan and blood tests. Everything came back fine. My tonsil is almost gone. A fraction the size of the other one. No one can come up with a solution?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same thing. All my life I have had large tonsils. The last 5 days I have been in such pain not all the time but the pain hits about every five min. Sometimes sooner it's like the worst stabbing pain ever. Yet no fever, nausea ect. Have been to urgent care then the er the next day. CT scan was clear no infections nothing in ears. So sent home with pain meds told to come back in 3 days if still in pain. The er Dr. Made a comment about my over sized tonsil on the right I said yea I have had them all my life. Comment was made rare that there not same didn't think anything if it till I looked because pain was on left. But sure enough I looked and I be darned if it just wasn't there. Why am I in so much pain? How can there be nothing wrong in ct scan? What do I do next? I plan on call er doctor to just ask. Can anyone please give me answers.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Curious if you ever found out wht cused your problem My daughter-in-law has the same problem and doctor doesn
't know what the problem is
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Ear, Nose & Throat Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
Discover the common causes of and treatments for a sore throat.
Learn about what actually causes your temperature to spike.
Find out which foods you should watch out for.
Family medicine doctor Enoch Choi, MD helps differentiate between the common cold and more threatening (bacterial) infections
Dr. Steven Park reveals 5 reasons why breathing through your nose could change your life