SIALOLITHIASIS (TONSIL STONE)

Stones composed of calcium salts often obstruct salivary glands, causing pain, swelling, and sometimes infection. They are also called tonsilloliths, are small lumps that are formed in the tonsils. The main symptom of tonsil stones is bad breath.These stones are hard white or yellow in appearance.

Tonsils contain many crevices, pits called tonsil crypts, they trap viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other germs.

Eighty percent of stones originate in the submandibular glands and obstruct the Wharton duct.

ITIOLOGY:  Most salivary stones are composed of calcium phosphate with small amounts of magnesium and carbonate. Patients with gout may have uric acid stones. Stone formation requires a nidus on which salts can precipitate during salivary stasis. Stasis occurs in patients who are debilitated, dehydrated, have reduced food intake, or take anticholinergics. Persisting or recurrent stones predispose to infection of the involved gland (sialadenitis).

CLINICAL FEATURE:

Obstructing stones cause glandular swelling and pain, particularly after eating, which stimulates saliva flow. Symptoms may subside after a few hours. Relief may coincide with a gush of saliva. Some stones cause intermittent or no symptoms.If a stone is lodged distally, it may be visible or palpable at the duct’s outlet.

• Bad breath (halitosis).
• Cough.
• Earache.
• Sore throat.
• Bad taste in your mouth.
• Small white or yellow stones that you may spit up.
• Other symptoms include:
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Feeling that something’s stuck in your throat.
• Small white patches on your tonsils.

DIAGNOSIS:

• physical exam, looking inside your mouth and throat.
• Perform an imaging scan if they cannot see the stones easily, e.g., CT, ultrasonography, sialography.

Homeopathic management for Tonsil Stones

Calcarea Fluor-  It works very effectively in dissolving hard, calcified tonsil stones. The symptoms that may be present to use this medicine are prickling sensation in the throat, and mucus dripping in the throat. The symptoms may get worse from taking cold drinks and get better from warm drinks. Night aggravation of the symptoms is also noted. In some cases, a burning sensation in the throat may be present.

Merc Sol –there is a bad breath in the mouth. The tonsils look swollen, red and there may be a stinging pain present. Whitish concretions are well noted on the tonsils. The pain from tonsils may seem to radiate to the ear in some cases. A sensation of something sticking in the throat, the presence of excessive saliva and a bad or metallic taste in the mouth may also be present.

Phytolacca Decandra – experiences difficulty in swallowing. Small, yellow-white spots on the tonsils are visible. Rawness and excoriation in the throat are also present. A rough, burning, smarting sensation in the throat may also be present with the given symptoms.

Belladonna – inflamed tonsils. The tonsils appear red, swollen and enlarged. A sensation of a lump is present in the throat along with a constant desire to swallow. Coughing spells and dryness of the throat with a constant desire to drink water is also present.

Hepar Sulph –  Hepar Sulph is a well indicated homeopathic medicine for tonsil stones when an earache and a pain in the tonsils are present. Pain from the throat radiates to the ears. In most cases, this pain is present while swallowing. The pain is stitching in nature, and a sensation of a splinter in the throat is an important attending symptom. History of chronic tonsillitis is often present in most cases needing Hepar Sulph.

CALCAREA IOD- -Enlarged tonsils are filled with little crypts. It is in the treatment of scrofulous affections, especially enlarged glands, tonsils, etc, that this remedy has gained marked beneficial results

BARYTA CARB- Submaxillary glands and tonsils swollen. Takes cold easily, with stitches and smarting pain. Quinsy. Suppurating tonsils from every cold. Tonsils inflamed, with swollen veins. Smarting pain when swallowing; worse empty swallowing. Feeling of a plug in pharynx