sticking a Q-tip in the back of my throat??

[ForeverrCaitlin]

Im having a pretty bad allergy-related sore throat and my tonsil on my left side kinda swollen and has a little teeny-tiny speck of trapped food and its kinda rubbing on the back of my tounge. (its not strept, just trapped chicken from the night before)

I want it to go away but it hasnt moved all day and now im a bit nervous. My mom said she gets this all the time and learned to take it out with a qtip but of course im nervous about doing that. Normally id just let this pass and go away on its own but im starting to worry ill gag from it touching my tounge(my mom also said those things just grow until eventually they fall out, but bigger means more chance of gag right?)

Should i try to take it out on my own or see if it'll go away? its closer to my cheek than the uvula but idk.. Great now im starting to kinda panic lol ugh.

[Amy3006]

I get things like that, it's gross but I've used a cotton bud (english version of Q-tip I think?) to take it out before, best thing to do if you are going to us use a big mirror and be very careful. Other things I find have helped before and have been suggested by others is eating dry toast, fizzy drinks gulped, gargling with salt water or tea tree oil and water, these are all also known to help tonsillitis...

Hope you feel better soon, I know how horrible that is..

[asianeko]

I had severe Tonsilitis for much of my teenage life before getting them out at 19. I never thought to get the junk out with a Q-Tip! I'd say you can do it carefully! If you're super nervous, perhaps try the throat numbing sprays?

I used to gargle Ginger Ale, or another super fizzy drink. I found that helpful, personally.

[ForeverrCaitlin]

Thanks guys! I have good news, its gone now i checked after i ate breakfast and its gone! ill definately try out your guy's tips if it happens again though

[gumdropper1]

Caitlin, just remember you won't puke from touching your tonsil. To make yourself puke, you need to touch your constrictor muscle area in the back of your throat. And it doesn't have a hair trigger either; you need to depress it for more than a second. There is an illustration of it in my Vomiting FAQ.

So you can use a Q-Tip to dislodge something from your tonsil and not worry about puking.

Doug

P.S. Asianeko, just curious, did you throw up with your tonsillectomy?