20th May 2005
I've always been one to think that if you get an infection in your throat, then chances are both tonsils would swell up. About three or four months ago, I went to the health center at my college wondering why one of my tonsils was so much bigger than the other. The "doctor" dismissed it as allergies, since blood tests came back normal, gave me some sample allegra and sent me on my way.
I didn't really think much of it, as I had no pain other than a swollen lymph node on one side. Swelling went down over the three to four month period up until recently, when I noticed again that the tonsil on my left side was huge compared to the other one. My most recent doctor visit came up negative for strep, and I've had some bloodwork done. So far, CBC is normal, TSH normal. My mono spot test, and EBV profile are not in as of yet. On the subject of mono, my room mate contracted it around the same time I went to the health center, maybe a little bit after. I have also already had mono about two years ago, with completely different symptoms as this.
The only way I can describe the "pain" is that it's a very dull sort of pain with pinprick qualities at times. My lymph node in my neck doesn't really hurt, but is persistent in it's swelling. I can constanly feel my throat. It's all I think about. Everyone around me just tells me it's nerves and that I need to relax, and I imagine many of you will say the same. But what bothers me about the whole thing is that only one side seems to be affected. It just doesn't seem right. One tonsil is huge and the other is normal. Same with the lymph nodes. Additionally, both my ears at different times feel like they're popping. No amount of cleaning remedies this. ALso when I went to the doctor earlier this week, he used some sort of ultrasound machine right in my ear, and noticed an abnormality. Not really sure how to describe it, other than he said the pressure from my tonsil was causing my eardrums not to respond correctly (but I hear just fine).
If anyone else has had a similar situation, or knows someone who has, please, I urge you to reply. I'm not at my wit's end or anything, but I don't know what to do. I'm sick of being told that it's nothing, or sitting in wait wondering what's going to happen. All I ask is that you don't think of me as some kind of sissy for complaining so much about a little sore throat. It just feels like a lot more to me.
I didn't really think much of it, as I had no pain other than a swollen lymph node on one side. Swelling went down over the three to four month period up until recently, when I noticed again that the tonsil on my left side was huge compared to the other one. My most recent doctor visit came up negative for strep, and I've had some bloodwork done. So far, CBC is normal, TSH normal. My mono spot test, and EBV profile are not in as of yet. On the subject of mono, my room mate contracted it around the same time I went to the health center, maybe a little bit after. I have also already had mono about two years ago, with completely different symptoms as this.
The only way I can describe the "pain" is that it's a very dull sort of pain with pinprick qualities at times. My lymph node in my neck doesn't really hurt, but is persistent in it's swelling. I can constanly feel my throat. It's all I think about. Everyone around me just tells me it's nerves and that I need to relax, and I imagine many of you will say the same. But what bothers me about the whole thing is that only one side seems to be affected. It just doesn't seem right. One tonsil is huge and the other is normal. Same with the lymph nodes. Additionally, both my ears at different times feel like they're popping. No amount of cleaning remedies this. ALso when I went to the doctor earlier this week, he used some sort of ultrasound machine right in my ear, and noticed an abnormality. Not really sure how to describe it, other than he said the pressure from my tonsil was causing my eardrums not to respond correctly (but I hear just fine).
If anyone else has had a similar situation, or knows someone who has, please, I urge you to reply. I'm not at my wit's end or anything, but I don't know what to do. I'm sick of being told that it's nothing, or sitting in wait wondering what's going to happen. All I ask is that you don't think of me as some kind of sissy for complaining so much about a little sore throat. It just feels like a lot more to me.