White spot(s) in throat?

Question

I've had a sore throat for 6 weeks now, constant pain though not excessive pain. My GP prescribed antibiotics over the phone a few weeks ago, without even visiting, probably because my baby son also had a throat infection at the time and maybe thought it was the same. The trouble is, the GPs are so overwhelmed by people with bog standard common colds that they can do nothing about, that it is not helping me get a proper diagnosis (triage nurse does a phone diagnosis before accepting GP appointments).

This morning I had a close look at the back of my throat and noticed at least one largish white spot, maybe 3-5mm across. There might have been more but it's hard to look at your own throat! I've seen mention of white spots before but never read about their typical sizes.

I'm also coughing up a lot of yellow-brown, chewy phlegm which I try to get rid of rather than swallow. I have to clear my throat before speaking. I'm not a smoker. I'm also very thirsty and get a dry mouth very soon after drinking, despite taking lots of fluids.

Is it worth seeing the GP again, or am I another hypochondriac wasting their time?!

Well i Never! · Accepted Answer

Sounds more like a chest infection than a throat infection - you must insist on seeing the doctor love if you have finished a course of anti' b's and you are not getting any better

? · Answer

1

wavy davy gravy · Answer

hopefully it is just a simple case of tonsilitis but six weeks is a long time to have it.  More concerning could be strep B which is a bit more serious and can be fatal if unchecked cos the white spots can close your throat up and you choke to death.  I have had it myself while i was working in germany and doctors were not availiable (letf my E111 in france) my friend dale got me some stuff which was stollen from me by a celebrities niece (I'm not joking) and that cleared it up in a day, it cured the afformentioned niece's tonsillitis is a morning but unfortunatly as it was all in a german on the bottle i can't say what it is.  It was in a bottle like the sort you would find olbas oil in and you had to put a few drops on your tongue and it had an alcohol content of 18%.  See your doctor cos you certainly have an illness and mention the stuff i have described he may know what it is called. if he does can you let me know.

Get well soon

Learning Conformity · Answer

Could be strep throat, which is discomforting, and untreated can become serious. Often, but not always, this is something fitting that description, and in some people (as in a family member of mine), can become chronic.

Even if it isn't that, they symptoms you describe most certainly warrant an in person doctor visit, no question about that.

BTW, is there any difference in the color or texture of your tongue?

*Regarding "Tonsilitis" which was spoken of in above posts - that term medically only refers to an infection or inflamation of the tonsils, not any actual virus or disease, not anything in particular, as most viruses are never diagnosed as to the particular strain (that is only on TV shows and for the very wealty who go to the Mayo Clinic).

Additonally, the tonsils are those two meaty balls that protrude on the left and right of the very back of your throat - what an above poster was inaccuratley describing, that pendulum that hangs down back there, is called the uvula - a totally separate thing.

*EDIT AFTER READING ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

-is your tongue more white that you noticed before?
-have you been using anticeptic mouthwash (such as Listerine)?
-have you been consuming a larger than average amount of vinegar or other acidic foods?
-does your mouth taste bad, or different that it has in the past?

(either way I am still leaning towards strep or thrush, both of which require a doctors treatment/cheap prescription)

brandon o · Answer

I agree with the other posters, it could be something like strep throat or tonsillitis. However, with those white spots being there for so long, it could be something more serious, it could be what they call leukoplakia, and that is white patches that develop in the mouth or throat, many drs consider these to be precancers as they exhibit abnormal growth but they are not invading nearby tissues nor trying to spread. The chance of these leukoplakias actually progressing into cancer  is relatively low, they say about 10% of these lesions at max develop into cancer. Go to your Dr and get his opinion on it and see what he thinks. If it did not respond to antibiotics, that is a little bit more worriesome.

Richard A · Answer

Open your mouth whilst looking in a mirror, if the white spots are on your tonsils (the dangling thing at the back of your mouth) there is a fair possibility that it is tonsillitis, as tonsillitis will gives you a sore throat and make you cough up phlegm. I advise you get a doctor to check it out, and he will prescribe drugs for you.

Remember that having tonsillitus doesn't mean you have to get your tonsils removed, it just means you'll have a sore throat for a few days. Hope that helped.

All the best

Lizabeth · Answer

You most likely have strep throat. White patches on the back of the throat and on the tonsils. You should go to the doctor. They will wipe yout throat with a swab and test you for strep. YOu will feel so much better f you get meds from the doctor! I have gotten strep more than a few times, it's horrible!!

dbx · Answer

You've waited 6 weeks and it's not gone away so you're not a hypochondriac by any stretch of the imagination! 

Could be tonsillitis - my boyfriend gets white spots when he gets it. 

But whatever it is, you need to go back to your doctor and get it checked out - 6 weeks of suffering is long enough.

Ghosthunters Cook Book · Answer

Six weeks is a long time, I would see the doc again and ask for a throat culture to be done. In the meantime you can try gargling warm water with vinegar and salt stirred in.

Mark R · Answer

Sounds like tonsillitis to me... Make an appointment and get your doctor to actually check it out.

White spot(s) in throat?

12 Answers