That was the doctor, an IV and two sets of bloodwork. I presented all the symptoms of scarlet fever, but came back negative both times.
That was a thoroughly miserable week.

I think this is better picture.... Flash with no tactical flash light... You can see what the doc is talking about to the right of the canker sore. That is what has me bothered as well. It looks all infected...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285653426.jpg

yuck, that doesn't look good. I'm with crustychief on this one!
If a doc visit is only going to cost <$50, go for it. I only carry catastrophic insurance, so I'm a little invested in not visiting the doctor.

I'd get a pair of needle-nose pliers and start pulling.

My leatherman is within reach...

gargle with Oraljel... mouth sore antiseptic. When I get them near my tonsil I feel crappier...than a regular canker sore in the front... they suck just keep gargling... cuts the healing time in half..

Is there anyone else here who occasionally gargles with hydrogen peroxide, or am I just weird?

Sid, I heard one treatment for a cancer sore that sounds easy. Use a red laser pointer and zap that cancer sore for 10 seconds a few times a day.

It sounds like 100% internet garbage but you can buy a laser pointer for just a few bucks. It sure as heck will not hurt or cause damage as long as you don’t point it into your eyes.

I have not tried it since I have not had a cancer sore in many years. If I had read it in an email I would have dismissed it completely.

Please try it and let me know if it helps at all. I am totally skeptical but it is an easy and safe thing to try.

If you want to ZAP that cancer sore for sure a cotton swab with a little silver nitrate will cauterize it and start the healing right away. I can tell you that silver nitrate is VERY uncomfortable, and nasty stuff so be careful with what you touch with that swab.

Naa, you are weird we all know that. :D

Silver nitrate is powerful stuff, handy to have around. Works on the canker sores too, concept that works on a lot of wounds/injuries. Your body deals with an acute injury better than a chronic one.

AgNO3 will give you acute.

There is an ENT working 20 ft away...I'll ask him to take a look in a few minutes. Can't say if he'll offer an opnion.

Unfortunately the laser does nothing.
I suffered from canker sores on and off as a kid. But when I quit smoking in 2003, well, little did I know that years of smoking, then quitting can send canker sore frequency into the stratosphere for a year or two. Stupid things, they're so small but so painful, but it's not so much the degree of pain, it just NEVER QUITS!
So, I tried everything. The laser and every other internet remedy. Because it's believed that canker sores are similar in concept to MS, an immune response where your body goes haywire and attacks itself (possibly), and keeping in mind what Tobra said above about a body dealing with acute injuries better than chronic ones I even attempted to cauterize the canker sore when it was small in an attempt to force it into a healing mode vs. days and days of ulcer. DIDN'T work.
Antibiotics do nothing for the ulcer, but can speed the underlying cause, like sinus infection.
Antivirals do nothing. Some people thought canker sores might be related to cold sores, which respond well to valtrex, but canker sores and throat ulcers aren't caused by viruses, again, it's immune system related.
The small flap of skin to the right in the photo is of the tonsillar crypt, and yours looks fairly pronounced. With chronic sinus drainage the crypts can collect matter (mostly collagen) and form what's called tonsilloliths, a little like kidney stones in the crypt.

I use it as well, my wife looks at me like I am wierd. I wake up in the morning without the catcrap smelling breath though.

I do... And yes...

Nope. My dentist had me ramp it up to occasional gargle with a dilute bleach solution about the same strength as pool water. I use this in my water pick too with a dash of Listerine for flavor.

Note: do not over do it with the bleach solution.

That must taste REAL bad if you flavor it with Listerine. :eek:

he thought it to be a viral ulcer and his recommendation is salt water gargle and follow up w/ someone non-virtual if not much better/gone in 10 days.

He asked if you smoke as the image seems to show leukoplakia inside your cheek...or semen. I said I thought you might smoke. :)

Ok, so the consensus is that I'm definately weird but I'm not alone ;)

It does, but I use the new wimpy Listerine that doesn't taste anything like the yellow stuff we grew up with. Lol.

I actually like the yellow Listerine, a lot more than the wimpy kind.

Haven't ever been a smoker...

Would the ulcer explain the pressure in my ear?

I hate feeling like I am experiencing a squeeze if I am not diving...

So, it's semen then???:eek::eek::D

G its a damn good thing there is an ocean seperating us... You need a good ass whuppin these days... :p

huh... I've always wondered what those things were... I've had problems with those tonsilloliths for several years now...

And yes I had one doctor consider removing tonsils due to some drainage problems I was having about 4yrs ago.

:D:D:D Just messiing with ya Sid :D:D:D You know, with the 10K anniversary and all. ;)

Wow, that original stuff is NASTY!!!!

I tried to use that original yellow stuff and I just could not take it. Yuck!

I make a solution of bleach....1/4 tsp to 2Tbsp...mix. I irrigate my periodontal pockets with it and am supposed to swish it around afterwards. That takes getting use to. I suppose you could gargle with it but don't swallow. Just an idea...

My dentist gave me the formula, BTW.

LOL, this is the best thread I"ve come across in a long time. I'm laughin' all over the place.
Sid, go see a doc, just to see what they say and then report back to us.

Have you tried the warm salt water yet?

It really works well indeed. Try and dissolve as much salt as you can in some warm water and gargle away..............

I've always had really good success with simple methods as opposed to costly doctors visits


Haven't gone to the doctors in probably 15 years or more!


What doesn't kill ya....................... (I am a firm believer in this)

Ya... Salt water gives about 5mins of relief... Definitely no improvement today... I'll go see the nurse tomorrow.... I think she is acutually a PA or an ARNP.....

Yep, that sounds about right, 5 mins.

Maybe try this...get some q-tips and dip them in peroxide then touch them to the ulcer. Repeat twice an hour x 2-3 hours then once every couple hours...or until you gag more than you can take. The mouth is a remarkably filthy place.

A big pinch of baking soda placed on a canker helps a lot.

If your ear is really hurting, try to massage the lymph glands and get them to drain. They follow the tendon that goes from your ear to your shoulder. Chances are you have swollen glands under your jaw as well, just inside the jaw bone. start at the front of the jaw and push back to the hinge. You should be able to feel the glands, and they will be quite tender. Don't back off because of the soreness.

The lymph system has no natural circulation of it's own, so if it gets blocked, massage back toward the trunk of the body will help circulation. If you do this several times for 15 minutes or so, you should feel a great deal of relief in less than a day. Stretching your neck will also help, as muscular activity is generally what causes the lymph system to function. So movement, stretching and massage / manipulation toward the torso are the ticket with swollen glands, and drainage problems.

Salt water and vinegar is about as good a gargle as anything. Salt water is also OK.

Mixing Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda releases the oxygen in the peroxide, and oxygen kills anaerobic bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide by itself is pretty corrosive. you can dilute it with regular water, or just don't overdo it. If you make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, you can put it on your tooth brush, brush your teeth and gums, and generally swab any area you can reach with it.


Hope you are feeling better.

Definitely some lymph swelling... Actually hurting a little more today... I'm off to the nurse, I've got a few hours before my next class...

Another individual afraid to self medicate and now yer runnin' off to see a quack? What's happened to the men in this country?! I'll bet none of you are wearing hats or smoking cigarettes in the office right now, either! Shesh. Bunch of nancies.

I have to play nicely with the medical professionals... My salary will be dependent on them...

Went and saw the School RN... She basically told me that my throat looks bad and my ear is inflamed... uhhh... Ya... Anyways she got me into a dr at 1:30 with a $5 copay...

And the Diagnosis is!


Just a bad arsed canker sore. He numbed it and then cauterized with Silver Nitrate. I'm out of pocket $5 and it should be bettter in a few days... Plus I got a scrip for a few tylenol #3 for the pain..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285787842.jpg

Gee, Silver Nitrate. Where did I hear about that :)

It kinda stings but it will start to heal now.