What Causes Painful Swallowing With Lump Behind Left Tonsil?

I have a lump in my throat in what feels like the area behind my left tonsil. it happened a day after i was sick, but that tonsil was not swollen for 24 hrs before I felt the lump. It hurts a bit and a lot when swallowing. Everyone online writes about feeling a pill sized lump right in the middle, but mine is up high and on the left. What should I do? I dont have a doctor and ive been waiting on my medi-cal card for seven months now, so I m pretty sure they will never send it.