What could be the cause of throat bumps? (photo)

Those little bumps all over the back of your throat are actually lymphoid follicles which are part of the immune system. “Lymph glands” are probably what some people would call them.

Their function is to drain the fluid from the throat and nose and tongue region so that your immune cells in these lymphoid follicles can screen for infection to help make the specific antibodies when necessary. You don’t need to worry about them. They may sometimes even appear larger or more inflamed if you come down with a bad cold or the flu.

Your tonsils, which are the lumps at the left and right of the photo, are basically concentrated centres of similar lymphoid tissue but the tonsils play a much more important role in younger children’s immune system, compared to those of adults. If you don’t suffer from sore throats or tonsils infections, then you don’t have to do anything at all to your tonsils, or those lymphoid follicles either, for that matter.

Drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking or excessive alcohol, reduce stress, exercise regularly and get 6-8 hours of sleep every night to stay healthy!

From the photo that you have provided, it seems that you may have what is commonly called a "cobblestone" throat. This is the term used to describe visible benign looking bumps at the back of the throat. I agree with Dr Annabelle Leong that they are likely benign. The reason for the appearance is likely enlarged lymphatic tissues as a result of chronic irritation. The two main causes of a cobblestone throat are:

1. Postnasal drip - This refers to a sensation of mucous at the back of the nose and throat as a result of back drip of mucous from your nose to the throat and voicebox region. Common causes of postnasal drip include Rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity) which can be Allergic or Non-Allergic. Typical symptoms of Rhinitis include frequent blocked nose, clear runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes and postnasal drip. Another frequent cause of postnasal drip is Sinusitis (inflammation or infection of the sinuses). Patients with sinusitis typically experiences coloured (yellow, green or brown) mucous from the nose or phlegm, blocked nose, facial pain and possibly reduced or loss of sense of smell.

2. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) - This refers to a condition whereby the acidic contents of the stomach backtrack up the foodpipe to the level of your voicebox. As the voicebox is a very sensitive organ, a little bit of acid irritation will cause it to be swollen. Typical symptoms of LPR include frequent sore throat, a feeling of something stuck in the throat, frequent throat clearing, dry cough and hoarse voice.

Hope this helps and all the best!