So worried about my massive tonsil (warning, includes a pic)

[AnxiousTonsil]

One of my tonsils has been much larger than the other for years. I first noticed when I got tonsillitis, but it's remained large ever since and I don't know if it was like this before.

I've been to the GP about it and was told not to worry, but every now and then I get really worried about it. This is because I stupidly googled it and it's apparently the first sign of tonsil cancer. The same GP also missed my friend's breast cancer so I don't feel reassured by their lack of concern.

Has anyone else got one very large tonsil?? Or know if I should try to get a second opinion?

Lots of people have one tonsil larger than the other though. I know I do. I saw it mentioned on here a few years ago and it’s quite common after tonsillitis .

Tonsillar asymmetry: Occasionally one tonsil can be bigger than the other. In the vast majority of cases, this is due to previous infection, or slight differences in the anatomy of the tonsil bed on each side. Tumours or cancers of the tonsil are very rare

If it’s cancer there are usually other symptoms

One swollen tonsil may also be a sign of tonsil cancer, although other symptoms usually show up along with it, like a chronic sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes.

Looks exactly like mine. Happened after I had tonsillitis for the first time when I was a teenager. If it helps mine have been like this for over 20 years now and I’ve had no issues with them.

I have. I go through phases of being worried by it but basically it's not changed for around a decade so I figure it's just another of my quirks! Strangely it's the smaller one that seems to be more badly affected when I get tonsillitis.

If you're worried it wouldn't hurt to get an opinion from a different GP though.

OP when I was 11 one of my tonsils started growing - by the time I was 16 it was across the back of my palate and had formed an extra dangly bit next to my uvula that sometimes got caught when I swallowed. That was the only reason the doctors decided to operate, and all they did was remove the excess to bring it back to ‘normal’ tonsil size. (Ended up having them removed completely in my thirties and they got added to some medical research thing!)

Anyway, my point is that tonsils can be big or do weird things without it actually being anything sinister - should be no need to worry unless you have other symptoms, but if you really can’t relax about it then the GP should be able to have a look for you.

I got a very large tonsil when I got Covid this year. My GP says it’s not abnormal and not to worry about but it freaked me out when I looked at it.

Mine are exactly like this and I’m under an oral specialist for different mouth issues (lichen planus and recurrent thrush) and they’d be telling me if it worried them. However, to put your mind at rest I think you should see a doctor- maybe a second opinion even.

Thank you all so much for the reassurance. This has made me feel a lot better! I don't like to bother the GPs when I've already had it looked at, but perhaps I should. I am a lot less worried now though, knowing that it's not unheard of and isn't always something sinister.

I have same tonsils like your from past 13 years

I had this. I was pretty sure I’d had it for quite a while ( since very bad tonsilitis) when I noticed it but because I couldn’t be 100% sure I did get sent to a specialist and had various tests.

Like others just turned out I have one larger than the other!

I have it also and I taught it was just cancer but until I looked at this I felt better but sometimes when I sallow it's annoying