What are those little balls on the back of the tongue? (Not the tonsils) They are ON the tongue.?

Question

They are not that small all the way in the back of the tongue, I have asked other people to show me their tongue and some people do have them, others dont. They're freaken me out. It's the first time I have ever seen them.

People keep saying they're taste buds. Big taste buds?

There is a V shaped row of "bitter" taste buds at the very back of the tongue with the point of the V pointing forward. If you were to eat something bitter or poisonous the further back it went the more taste buds it would stimulate to eventually cause you to vomit the noxious agent out before you swallow it. While these always stand out more and are interpreted to be swollen, there are times when the other coating of the tongue is shed and they appear to stand out even more.
This is usually indicative of a gastric condition such as reflux disorder or even a B complex vitamin deficiency.
However even tonsillar or sinus infections give the kernal stuck in the throat feeling. Increasing the Vit C and B complex generally helps, plus or minus added Zinc. OK?

Answer 1

Circumvalle (sp) papillae on the back part of your tongue in the V shape. Everyone has them.

Answer 2

Taste buds?

Answer 3

They are taste buds. But they are small. If they seem swollen (larger than normal) or sore, it could be another condition. check with your doctor

check out
http://experts.about.com/q/Family-Internal-Medicine-969/swollen-taste-buds.htm

Answer 4

Circumvalate papillae. Normal anatomic landmark.

Vote for Jennifer, as she was first to answer, but I'm just agreeing with her.

Answer 5

it's called squamous cell carcinoma. Also known as squamous cell cancer; this type of cancer originates in the squamous cell layer. It's on the back of the tongue.

Answer 6

they are taste buds , I think is what your reffering to.

Answer 7

maybe herpes??