Third tonsil enlargement in adults

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this constant sensation of something draining down the back of my throat. It isn't a sinus issue—I don't get the typical headaches or runny nose—but this drainage is causing terrible breath, and honestly, I'm at my wit's end. I keep wondering if it's possible for an adult (I'm 20) to have issues with an enlarged adenoid that causes this kind of buildup? It feels like mucus is just pooling right behind my soft palate and I'm constantly swallowing it. I went to see an ENT today, but he was so casual about it, almost dismissive. He noted a deviated septum but said my sinuses seem fine, then vaguely mentioned some kind of chronic inflammation... he prescribed some Hexoral mouthwash and ten days of Septolete, but frankly, his explanation just doesn't sit right with me. So, does anyone know if adenoid issues can actually pop up in adults? I know it's a huge thing for kids, but could it be me too? Please help!

Of course, you can run into issues with what people call the "third tonsil" at pretty much any age.
In my case, they actually ended up removing all three of mine when I was only 22.
I remember this guy who was in the room with me over at the ENT department; he had his "third tonsil" taken out, but those two standard ones we see when we open our mouths? He had those removed way back when he started elementary school.
That’s why these days, doctors usually just go in and take all three at once to get everything handled in one shot.

silvergardener472 said:For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this constant feeling of something draining down my throat. My sinuses aren't actually an issue—no headaches or runny nose—but the drainage is causing terrible bad breath, and I'm at a loss... I was wondering if an enlarged adenoid could cause this in adults (I'm 20)? It really feels like mucus is pooling right behind my uvula before I swallow it... I saw an ENT today, but he seemed pretty dismissive about it. He noted a deviated septum but said there's no sinus issue, just some chronic inflammation... he prescribed some mouthwash and ten days of Septolete. Honestly, his explanation doesn't sit right with me. Does anyone know if adenoids can still be an issue in adults? I know kids deal with it all the time... any advice would be appreciated...

Do you have a specific diagnosis yet?
What did the doctor actually write down in your medical history?

I deal with that same sinus drainage too, but without any pain or anything... I was diagnosed with LPR!
And a deviated septum as well.
Chronic laryngitis, too.

The only thing is, I don't have the bad breath issue... could that maybe be coming from your teeth instead?

Grace Lewis6 said:Do you actually know what the diagnosis is?
What did the doctor write down in your medical history?

I deal with sinus drainage too, but I don't have any pain or anything...just an LPR diagnosis!
And a deviated septum, too.
Chronic laryngitis, as well.

The only thing I don't have is bad breath, so maybe that isn't coming from your teeth?

Well, I actually went to see a specialist the other day...it was a total disaster...honestly, I didn't feel like he took me seriously at all...I'm thinking the issue might be my third tonsil, since the other two seem fine...I don't think it's a sinus infection because I don't have those typical symptoms like headaches or a runny nose, so the breath must be coming from that, I guess—I don't know what else it could be, since my teeth are fine and I already saw a gastroenterologist...everything there was okay too.
Now I've got no choice but to get a new referral from my doctor and find a different ENT specialist...anyone have a recommendation??
Honestly, the most frustrating part of this whole ordeal is feeling like I have to figure everything out on my own; doctors just seem so indifferent, they give me these blank stares, and then I end up searching the internet for answers, where laypeople like you guys actually end up being more helpful than the doctors themselves.🙄

Maybe drop a note about where you're located? That way, someone might be able to point you toward a great specialist in your area.

Casey Rogers47 said:Maybe mention what part of the US you're in so someone can actually point you toward a decent specialist.

I'm based in Chicago... and I totally forgot to mention this earlier, but back when I was a kid—definitely before puberty hit—I was constantly mouth-breathing because my nose felt perpetually stuffed up, which honestly just makes me lean even harder toward that third molar theory.

The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital—you've got them, and if you need a top-tier tonsil specialist, Dukakis is the guy to see.

So, I finally saw my doctor today to get that new referral sorted out... she ended up sending me off for allergy testing instead. She’s pretty convinced it isn't my tonsils—says a specialist would have caught that during the last checkup. It makes me wonder, though: can you actually spot something like that just by looking, or do they need some kind of scope to see what's really going on? She also thinks I'm dealing with chronic sinusitis. Is there even a way to fix that? Are we talking surgery or something similar?

silvergardener472 said:I went to see my doctor today to get a new referral... she ended up giving me one for allergy testing instead. She's pretty sure it isn't my third tonsil, since she figured a specialist would have caught that during the last exam. I'm wondering if they can actually see that through testing, or if they need to use some kind of scope... she thinks I might just have chronic sinus inflammation. Is there even a way to treat that? Like surgery or something similar...

They're telling me the same thing—that it might be an allergy issue too... When my sinuses get really bad, they suggest I take Claritin or use that Tafen nasal spray (the steroid one)... 😲 Just some nasal spray and stuff like that...
I don't really buy into that, and I'm honestly not satisfied with such a half-baked solution... I've just been managing with over-the-counter stuff...

I don't have headaches either... It never even crossed my mind that sinus issues could be the cause...

I've been breathing through my mouth my entire life... 😳

Grace Lewis6 said:Honestly, they keep telling me it’s some kind of allergy too, so whenever my sinuses start acting up, I’m stuck taking Claritin and using that Flonase (steroid 😲 ) nasal spray and whatnot...
I just don't buy it, and I'm sick of these half-baked fixes—it feels like I'm just patching things up instead of actually getting better...

I don't get headaches either; it never even crossed my mind that my sinuses could be the culprit??

I've basically been a mouth-breather my whole life.😳

I've got a massive pollen allergy, so spring is basically a nightmare for me...I guess I'll run the tests just so I don't have to deal with the headache of asking for another ENT referral...but does that sinus drainage give you bad breath? Because for me, that's the real kicker. It makes it impossible to talk to people normally, and it honestly leaves me feeling totally depressed.😢
I'd honestly rather lose a leg than have to deal with constant bad breath...it's enough to drive anyone crazy.

silvergardener472 said:I've got bad pollen allergies, so spring is basically a nightmare for me... I'll go through with those tests just so my doctor stops nagging me about getting an ENT referral... does that sinus drainage give you bad breath? That’s my biggest issue... I can't even talk to people normally, and it's honestly making me feel pretty depressed 😢
I'd honestly rather deal with a broken leg than have constant bad breath... it's enough to drive anyone crazy

That's the thing though, I don't really have any major allergies. I get some eye irritation here and there, though nothing has been officially confirmed 🙄
but nothing else—no food allergies, no pollen, no ragweed, nothing 🤷
so it really bugs me when they start throwing diagnoses around without any proof...

As for the sinus drainage, I don't have issues with bad breath, so I'm not sure how to help you there 🤷
That sinus stuff could be linked to stomach issues, but since you already saw a gastroenterologist, I'm not sure what else is left to check

Just get the allergy testing done, and hopefully you'll get some actual answers... 😁

silvergardener472 said:For as long as I can remember, there’s this constant feeling of something draining down my throat. My sinuses are fine—no headaches, no runny nose—but this drainage is causing terrible bad breath, and I'm at my wit's end. Is it possible for an adult (20 years old) to have issues with their adenoids that cause this kind of drainage? It feels like mucus is collecting right behind my soft palate and then I just swallow it. I saw an ENT today, but he was incredibly dismissive. He checked me out very casually, noted a deviated septum, said my sinuses seemed okay, and then just blamed some chronic inflammation. He prescribed Hexoral mouthwash and ten days of Septolete. Honestly, his explanation makes zero sense to me. Basically, I need to know if adenoid issues happen in adults since kids deal with them all the time. Please help!

silvergardener472 said:So, I actually saw a specialist a few days ago... what a disaster. I don't think he took me seriously at all. I'm convinced the issue is my adenoids; my tonsils seem perfectly fine. I doubt it's a sinus infection because I don't have the usual symptoms like headaches or congestion. The bad breath has to be coming from that drainage. My teeth are fine, and I even saw a gastroenterologist—everything there was normal too.
My only option left is to get a new referral and find a different ENT. Any recommendations??
The most frustrating part is having to handle everything myself. Doctors seem so indifferent. They just give you a blank stare, and then I end up searching the internet, where people like you actually provide more help than the professionals do.🙄

This is almost exactly my situation. I was at Mayo Clinic, seen by a resident, and besides the adenoid issue—which he insisted wasn't even that enlarged (if it's causing this much trouble, it's definitely too big!)—I suspect I have staph in my nose. For the last two years, I've had intense itching around my nose and pustules that I haven't dealt with since puberty. I told him that, and he just brushed me off and scheduled me for sinus surgery without even doing a swab, claiming "folliculitis has nothing to do with sinuses." Then they act shocked when MRSA pops up in a hospital. 😠

I'm also planning to seek a second opinion. Sometimes it feels like being a doctor in America is the easiest job in the world—nobody is ever held accountable for mistakes, and no one gets fired for being a bad physician.😠

mellowlynx said:This is basically my exact situation. I was over at the Mayo Clinic, getting checked out by some resident, and aside from my tonsil issues—which he kept insisting weren't even that swollen, despite the fact that it hurts like hell and clearly feels too big—I’ve got this nagging suspicion about staph in my nose. It’s been popping up for the last two years with intense itching and those nasty pustules I haven't dealt with since puberty. I tried telling him that, but he just goes ahead and schedules me for sinus surgery without even doing a swab , claiming "folliculitis has nothing to do with sinuses." Then, when they find MRSA running through the hospital, everyone acts completely blindsided. 😠

I'm definitely going to get a second opinion. Sometimes I feel like being a doctor in America is the easiest job on the planet—nobody ever takes responsibility for mistakes, and you can be a terrible physician and still keep your job. 😠

Man, please tell me how they actually check that tonsil... do they use some kind of probe or what??? And as for the doctors... they're a total disaster. Honestly, I feel like I learn more from browsing the internet than what they actually know... it's so disappointing because it feels like they couldn't care less about their patients; they just don't give a damn. I don't get it, because you'd think they should actually love what they do, otherwise why go through all that grueling med school and residency... 🤷

Has either of you two ever had to deal with stroboscopy?

My specialist keeps ordering both a fiberoptic scope and a stroboscopy on my referral, but she only ever actually performs one... 😠

I think I’m finally going to have to say something to her next time... ☕

That’s news to me, honestly.

silvergardener472 said:Seriously, please tell me how they actually check those tonsils... is it some kind of probe or what??? And as for the doctors... they are a total disaster. I honestly learn more through the internet than they ever tell me. I'm completely disillusioned. It feels like they couldn't care less about the patients; they just don't have any skin in the game. I don't get it. You should actually love what you do, otherwise why bother with medical school and all that specialization? 🤷

Your intuition is spot on, and you aren't alone in feeling this way. Like a certain politician might say—they just don't care, because the paycheck hits their account every single month.

When they checked me, it was so poorly done that they practically caught my tongue with a gauze pad, using a dental mirror and a light pointed upward. They only saw what they could see in a split second, mostly because being poked like that made me want to gag. Real cutting-edge medicine right there. ☕

A few years back, I had a brutal sore throat that I didn't see a doctor for, and since then, I've dealt with swallowing issues, problems with the third tonsil, nasal breathing issues, and trouble with my sinuses and throat. I truly believe the only right move would be a proper scan, maybe a CT or something similar, because my symptoms are severe. But apparently, it's cheaper for Medicare to pay for several useless, cheap appointments than to cover one expensive, proper diagnostic test. 🙄

We don't need a healthcare reform. We need sanctions for incompetent doctors. Without accountability, they simply don't care about the patient's pain.

silvergardener472 said:I haven't heard of that before

Since you mentioned using a probe earlier, that's what I was thinking about.

I think stroboscopy is when they use a probe, probably with a camera, to go through the nose down into the throat... 😲
It seems like they could figure out quite a lot using that method🤷

mellowlynx said:You have a good intuition, and you aren't the only one who feels this way. Like they say here—they just don't care, as long as the monthly check clears...

The doctor examined me by grabbing my tongue with a gauze pad, using that little dental mirror and pointing the light upward—well, as much as he could see before the pulling sensation made me want to gag. Real cutting-edge stuff, clearly...☕

A few years ago, I had a really painful sore throat that I didn't take to a doctor, and ever since then, I've dealt with swallowing issues, that third tonsil thing, breathing through my nose, and problems with my sinuses and throat. I honestly think the right move would be getting a proper CT scan or something similar because the discomfort is so significant, but it seems like it's cheaper for Medicare to keep paying for useless, cheap exams rather than covering one expensive, necessary one...🙄

I don't think we need healthcare reform; we need accountability for bad doctors. Without consequences, they just don't care how much the patient is hurting...

If I'm not mistaken, what he did was a fiberoptic scope...🤔
pulling your tongue down with gauze and shining a light down your throat... yeah, real high-tech, I totally agree...🤣

I have to go through that all the time...☕

Grace Lewis6 said:What they did was a fiberoptic scope, if I recall correctly 🤔
they pull your tongue down with gauze and look at your throat with a light... yeah, super high-tech, I totally agree 🤣

I have to go through that constantly ☕

I haven't a clue what that's called. All I know is my resident was a total model—super handsome, but still... 😬 I've never heard of stroboscopy before, but based on your description, it sounds like something I've seen on TV. Doesn't seem too scary.

So? Any actual improvement since you started going for those fiberoptic exams all the time? ☕ Seriously, they send you in there like it’s the cure itself rather than just a diagnostic tool. 🤣 Is it because they can't pinpoint the issue, or... 😕 ?

mellowlynx said:I honestly have no idea what that's called. I just remember my specialist was such a model—really handsome, but... 😬 I haven't heard of stroboscopy before, but once you described it, it reminded me of seeing it on TV. Doesn't sound too scary.

And? Is there any actual improvement beyond just going in for that fiberoptic scope all the time? ☕ It feels like they send you in there like it's the treatment itself, rather than just a way to diagnose. 🤣 Like they can't figure out the issue, or... 😕 ?

I deal with chronic laryngitis and acid reflux that really eats away at my vocal cords, so I end up losing my voice or sounding raspy pretty often🙄
basically, it's either sinus drainage hitting my larynx or stomach acid irritating it... just wonderful ☕

Right now, they're using the fiberoptic scope to check my vocal cords🤷
and they occasionally prescribe me tablets for the acid...

but I think I've managed to cut down on the stomach issues through my diet, so now I'd really like to fix the sinus problems... I'm actually curious about that third tonsil, I'll definitely ask about it at my next appointment.
I might even need to have both tonsils removed; it feels like I'm constantly sick, catching maybe three or four viruses a year and at least two bad sore throats... and so on...
plus I have nose surgery coming up eventually😳 because of a deviated septum, yikes...