Any ENT people about? Does this look like quinsy?

[Pigeonqueen]

Apologies for close up photo.

Full disclosure- I have very complex health issues (Addisons, lupus, sjogrens, asthma etc etc) and I’m under oral dept at the hospital for long term invasive Candida and lichen planus. I am almost permanently on Fluconazole and nystatin (daily).

My tonsil keeps swelling up on one side. I had this at Christmas and couldn’t get a doctors appointment and basically it settled again. Now it’s swollen up again and is very uncomfortable. I can’t say painful as such, just a feeling of pressure and my ear on that side is also a bit stingy.

Google says quinsy but surely this would be excruciatingly painful? I don’t have tonsillitis I don’t think. On the other hand; I have a high pain threshold- I had a severe infection after some tongue biopsies I had done and ended up nearly dying from an adrenal crisis (long story) because I didn’t actually feel that unwell and I never run a fever - pituitary issues.

GP tomorrow? (If I can get an appointment). What do you think? Or does it - with my complex stuff- warrant a trip to A and E? I worry it’s just swollen because of my health stuff and they’re going to think I’m wasting their time. 🙈

Hi OP, I can't see a photo, but can you swallow? Quinsy often presents with difficulty swallowing, including your own saliva. Your voice can sound different too, often described as a 'hot potato' voice. Keep an eye on it, as quinsy does need seeing to asap if it is that.

Photo is under review as per new mumsnet guidelines so should upload soon.

I do feel quite uncomfortable swallowing but then that’s usual for me with the thrush and lichen planus. My mouth etc is always sore. I don’t sound any different to usual though, dc would probably say still as annoying as ever 😁 I’ll keep an eye on it. Thanks.

Quinsy wouldn't keep swelling and going down again, it's like an access and will keep getting worse once you have it. A friend had it and only went to a&e once they couldn't swallow at all and it needed draining 😐 not sure what it could be though

Hmm I’m not sure what’s going on then! Frustratingly my body just does weird stuff. Sorry to hear about your friend suffering like that.

Mine used to swell like that when I was under the weather. There's often be a tonsil stone involved too. Gargle with salt water- it reduces inflammation.

I was going to suggest tonsil stones too 🤢 I started getting them and my tonsil used to swell and hurt. I've now found where they hide out and syringe the holes daily

Interesting about the tonsil stones. I do get them quite a lot - I have very bad scarring on my tonsils from a bout of bad tonsillitis and glandular fever that took 3 lots of antibiotics to shift about 4 years ago and ever since then I suffer with stones a lot. Usually they’re very visible and I can gargle them out or use a cotton bud to remove them (urghh!) but can’t see any this time but perhaps they’re stuck somewhere I can’t see. How miserable. Hate my tonsils!

My tonsils were an absolute bag of spanners - getting them taken out was the BEST thing that I could have done. Could you have yours removed? (I appreciate that this is of no use tight now, but it has improved my health beyond expectation having the buggers removed)

Yes there could be one tucked there irritating it all. Salt water. Hot if you can.

are you taking anti inflammatories? Ibuprofen?

gargling with soluble aspirin might help, or we used to use insoluble aspirin so all the bits got stuck there. Probably useless but that was mums theory!

I had a phone appointment re bad throat and one of the things they said was if my uvula started to point over one side, see some ASAP. It looks like yours is?

Thank you all for your replies.

I will try and get some sort of doctors appointment tomorrow I think. My uvula is slightly to one side. I can’t take ibuprofen unfortunately due to asthma (severe) and the other medications I’m on but I am wondering if everything lupus / mouth wise is just flaring but if it is I need some guidance about what I should do I think. Perhaps I need a course of stronger steroids (I’m already on life long steroids for Addisons but it’s a replacement dose for what my body should make naturally for cortisol) or some sort of overhaul. I’m really not having a fun time of things health wise.

I appreciate everyone being so kind.

I have actually been googling laser removal earlier today, as it’s less invasive apparently and with my Sjogrens and Addisons the normal surgery is a bit risky (bleeding, no saliva to aid healing etc). But yes I’d love to have the fuckers out!

Quinsy is usually much bigger and essentially an abscess I think?
If not treated there is a risk of spreading infection.
Do you have a fever, feel more poorly or woozy than usual?

It's not Quinsey , you cannot even swallow your saliva , you have to let it drool out of your mouth .

When I had a quinsy I had no symptoms until I swallowed - then it was painful. I basically collapsed and was rushed to A&E. I had my tonsils out a few weeks later. Consultant said I was swallowing bacteria every time I swallowed. Once I had them out I felt amazing - hadn't realised the effect the tonsils were having on me generally.

I'd definitely get a gp review asap- Even if its not quinsy, you have complex medical conditions( especially your Addisons) and something relatively uncomplicated in other people could make you more unwell.

Well yes, this is it really. Even a virus can potentially kill me if I don’t updose my steroids enough. I just kind of need to know what’s happening so I know how to manage everything / alter my medication. It’s really important to know if I’ve actually got an infection or not as antibiotics are likely to cause my long term Candida to completely flare up again; so would probably need an IV combo of both antibiotics and anti fungals if it’s something brewing like that.

When I had quinsy it was excruciatingly painful, very swollen at one side and the uvula pushed right across, I couldn't swallow and my voice changed a lot. I also had pain in my jaw and ear at that side. I didn't really have a temperature but felt very unwell in myself.
If you are concerned about it being quinsy, I would call 111 - it needs draining and treating with IV antibiotics quickly.

I nearly had quinsy, but got to gp early enough and antibiotics sorted it.

He said if it had crossed the middle I'd have had to go to hospital. (For a lancing I imagine?)

I had a hot potato voice and couldn't swallow my spit. Had to carry a small cup with me! Felt horrid too.

Always worth seeing a gp though as could be any number of things.

Thank you everyone. Just wanted to come back and update. Had an appointment with the GP, I have a chest infection (didn’t really think I did as asthma / Sjogrens etc means I’m always a bit coughy etc) and he thinks the tonsil is a reaction to the infection, basically everything is just swollen and rubbish! Been given a week of strong antibiotics alongside more anti fungals and told to go back if things don’t improve in a few days.