What is the cause for white substance on the walls of my throat?
Senior Specialist & Head,
Department of Otolaryngology,
Ibri Regional Referral Hospital,
Sultanate of Oman
Q: I am a girl of 25 years. Since the last one and half years I have been suffering from a peculiar problem. A white solid substance grows on both the walls of my throat (the visible portion) at regular intervals. It can, however, be taken out with the help of the fingers. Sometimes it takes months to grow, but at times it grows the very next day after cleaning. The first time I noticed it, I had gone to a doctor. But he said that it is due to some deficiency. The walls are slightly hollow on both sides. It must be mentioned that this growth causes no pain whatsoever and I don’t even come to know of it unless I check it. Could it be remains of the food particles that get accumulated in the hollow portion? Or could it be something very serious?
A:The portion where the white substance comes and stays is the tonsillar crypt and the disease is called keratosis. You dont have to worry because it is caused by some concretions or food particles getting deposited or getting stuck there. Sometimes it may be due to fungal infection, but it can be easily treated and daily gargles with warm water can help. Under local anesthesia the concretions can be removed. Dont worry and just relax.