Hello,
Im a slightly overweight 24 yr old male who has been pretty fit most of his life and healthy. I've dipped (snuff) on and off for the past 7 or 8 years (and have quit numerous times, at one point for nearly a year), and smoked every now and then.... though I do not drink.
For the past several months, I've had what appears to be slightly enlarged left tonsil, and some bumps behind the tonsil on the pharyngeal wall. I was hoping its just lympathic tissue, as I also have raised/reddish lingual tonsils on both sides of my tongue, but Im a bnit worried.
The tonsil looks a bit puffy, and it has some white streaks on the top of it, like small white scratches. Had halitosis ( bad breath) for a while, seems to have went away, and that I ahve not had a dip in about 5 months, and no longer plan to
I also still have my wisdom teeth, and while the top 2 have come in, the left bottom wisdom tooth is severely impacted, and I know it is swelling the gum area around my other back left molar and is often sore, (think its called Pericoronitis).
The only area where I usually feel any pain in my mouth is directly under my impacted left bottom wisdom tooth. Sometimes I can feel a bit of pain coming from the tonsil area, but not severe.
I've taken 2 pages of really good pictures of my oropharynx and the lumps/ affected tonsils, and you can see quite some detail.
You can view them here: (copy and paste link)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69718259 @N00/sets/72157594500163184/
I just worried its cancer, and I'm open to any suggestions, as I have not been to a dentist beacause I do not have insurance, to get an opinion beforehand is my only option because it will be extrmely expensive.
Many thanks, and I hope I'm worried over nothing...
~justin