General Question

Keep_on_running's avatar

What is this white thing at the back of my throat?

Asked by Keep_on_running (6759points) August 21st, 2011

This feels like a stupid question…but anyway, I was flossing my teeth earlier and looking really close in the mirror, when I swallow or just contract my throat it pushes up this very light pink/slightly white on the tip, firm structure (I don’t know how else to describe it) then it goes back down when I relax my throat again.

What is it? I’ve never noticed this before.

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9 Answers

Lightlyseared's avatar

Probably a tonsillolith (ie tonsil stones). It’s a common cause of bad breath.

Keep_on_running's avatar

No it’s not that, it’s right in the middle/bottom of my throat, it looks like a normal part of the anatomy, but I don’t know what it is. It couldn’t be the esophagus could it? Is it possible to even see it?

bkcunningham's avatar

It is called a uvula.

Keep_on_running's avatar

It’s not that either :(

bkcunningham's avatar

It is the only thing I can think it could be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatine_uvula

Keep_on_running's avatar

It’s way further down my throat, like where you swallow.

Keep_on_running's avatar

@Lightlyseared Hmm, that looks definitely more like it, I’ll research it a bit more just to make sure. Thanks!

Keep_on_running's avatar

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Visible_epiglottis.jpg

^ Yes, that’s exactly it. Hehe, learned something new today.

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