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f someone asked you where stones can form in the human body, you might think of the

kidneys. But, the kidneys aren't the only place. The tonsils are another location where hard,

and sometimes, painful stones may develop in certain people.

What Are Tonsils?

Your tonsils are gland-like structures in the back of your throat. You have one located in a

pocket on each side. Tonsils are made of tissue that contains lymphocytes -- cells in your

body that prevent and fight infections. It is believed that the tonsils play a role in the immune

system and are meant to function like nets, trapping incoming bacteria and virus particles that

are passing through your throat.

ost medical e!perts agree that the tonsils often do not perform their "ob well. In many

instances, they become more of a hindrance than a help. It may be that tonsils evolved in an

environment where humans were not e!posed to as many germs as we encounter today as a

result of living in areas with relatively high populations. #vidence suggests that people who

have had their tonsils removed are no more likely to suffer from bacterial or viral infections

than people with intact tonsils.

What Causes Tonsil Stones?

Your tonsils are filled with nooks and crannies where bacteria and other materials, including

dead cells and mucous, can become trapped. $hen this happens, the debris can become

concentrated in white formations that occur in the pockets.

Tonsil stones, or tonsilloliths, are formed when this trapped debris hardens, or calcifies. This

tends to happen most often in people who have chronic inflammation in their tonsils orrepeated bouts of tonsillitis.

$hile many people have small tonsilloliths that develop in their tonsils, it is %uite rare to

have a large and solidified tonsil stone

What Are the Symptoms of Tonsil Stones?

any small tonsil stones do not cause any noticeable symptoms. #ven when they are large,

some tonsil stones are only discovered incidentally on &-rays or T scans. (ome larger

tonsilloliths, however, may have multiple symptoms)

Bad breath.*ne of the prime indicators of a tonsil stone is e!ceedingly bad breath,

or halitosis, that accompanies a tonsil infection. *ne study of patients with a form of

chronic tonsillitis used a special test to see if volatile sulfur compounds were

contained in the sub"ects' breath. The presence of these foul-smelling compounds

provides evidence of bad breath. The researchers found that + of the people who

had abnormally high concentrations of these compounds also had tonsil stones. *ther

researchers have suggested that tonsil stones be considered in situations when the

cause of bad breath is in %uestion.

Sore throat.$hen a tonsil stone and tonsillitis occur together, it can be difficult to

determine whether thepainin your throat is caused by your infection or the tonsil

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stone. The presence of a tonsil stone itself, though, may cause you to feel pain or

discomfort in the area where it is lodged.

White debris.(ome tonsil stones are visible in the back of the throat as a lump of

solid white material. This is not always the case. *ften they are hidden in the folds of

the tonsils. In these instances, they may only be detectable with the help of non-invasive scanning techni%ues, such as T scans or magnetic resonance imaging.

Difficulty swallowing.epending on the location or si/e of the tonsil stone, it may be

difficult or painful to swallow foods or li%uids.

Ear pain.Tonsil stones can develop anywhere in the tonsil. Because of shared nerve

pathways, they may cause a person to feel pain in the ear, even though the stone itself

is not touching the ear.

Tonsil swelling.$hen collected debris hardens and a tonsil stone forms,

inflammation from infection 0if present1 and the tonsil stone itself may cause a tonsil

to swell or become larger.

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