long term throat problem, doctors unsure?

[jagb]

as the title says i have a sever throat pain for well over a year now

the symptoms are: difficulty swallowing, swollen area under neck, sometimes painful to talk, small pain if i turn my head, constant need for water to hydrate throat or it dries up and becomes sore

this has came and went rather frequently over this time, at one time leaving me unable to speak due to the pain. everytime it is hard to swallow anything including water. i can feel the underside of my chin where it meet the neck and the left side is swollen compared to the right. I am suffering again and i felt this came about this time on friday nite as i talked to a friend for several hours and it has got progressivly worse over a 5 day period

well i have had this for nearly a year and a half and in that time i have been to the doctors about 4 or 5 times and at one time had to wait about 10 months to be reffered to the ENT. one of the doctors was of little use just prescribing me 100 paracetemol, i had a course of antibiotics which worked for a while. another prescribed throat rinse (which i have bought another bottle and am now using) finally when i got to the ENT specialist he said that it was acid reflux and it was burning the back of my throat imflamming them and prescribed some pills as i have some distaste in the mornings. i decided to go full out and try and cure this so went off alcohol and curry as i took these tablets for about two tablets along with zantec at times if i felt that i had a distaste in the morning. i thought this was working but late into this about a month and half after taking the medicene for so long and staying off two main factors of reflux the pain came back severly and i went to the doctors, she just didnt know and prescribed me throat rinse. i havent had this in about a month but now its back and ive booked another apointment as this is pain. i am currently using difflaz throat rinse as well as dequacaine to numb it a bit, may get throat spray if it doesnt improve

i also had ear pains but after visiting my dentist and ENT they determind that it was me grinding my jaws, this was due to the pain so i have trained myself not to do that and it hasnt returned since

any ideas or suggestions as to what could cause this

[Kaaaay24]

Hi I seen the comment you made about the throat , I have the exact same problem rite down to The swollen lymphoid under the left had side of my jaw, I saw you rote this quite a few years ago and I was wondering if you have had the problem solved or have a diagnosis for the symptoms.
I suffer from panic anxiety so when doctors can't tell me what's wrong it's really set me off over the past few years

[Nena1975]

Hi All

I am going through the exact same thing as you. The pain is unbearable.
Could you please give an update how you get on with your pain over the years since your posts in 2008. Just to know what to expect.
I appreciate you reply. Thanks

[jagb]

well i visited my physician today, a quite competant one at that in my opinion. the problem is still unresolved really. the symptoms still persist though i can feel pain coming more from my right gland now

so i just described how often this happens and how i can feel it come on and know it is going to progress until it will eventually disable my voice if i dont start getting loaded with throat medication

due to the ent inspecting my throat the doctor knew he wasnt going to see much more than them. the ent surgeon seen my throat and said it was acid reflux burning and inflamming my glands. i took his prescribed medication while staying away from alcohol and curry but this last for about a month and half and surely it came back bad. since this was their diagnosis he is going to investigate it further. he is organising me to have some test done. not sure of the name, but i swallow a shot of something and they take an xray, i come back in a few days and they take another xray and see how far the reflux has reached

also i seen in a band so he though this may of possibly been a problem as i havent had any voice training, he said this is common with starting teachers etc who use their voice a lot incase this rings a bell to any of you. were going to see how the xray goes and if that comes back clear then trying the voice training

[raquel414]

if ANYBODY  has any idea what can cause this PLEASE  let me know...!!!!! i am so sick of the pain and discomfort...and doctors w/ no answers...........!!! and to chiru_hero, try drinking some boost drinks or ensure.....they taste good...its what i've been having to drink to maintain some sort of energy/nutrition  due to  my lack of appetite from  all the pain/stress.....you cant just live off of fruits.....i dont know....this is horrible........

[chiru_hero]

Mr jagb - I just cant believe ur symptoms man.................I am going through the same thing since i turned 22.............My family doctor indicates it as stress..........but i dont think he has diagnosed it correctly............i went to a homeopathy doctor instead of an allopathy and that doctor gave me another dose of sweet medicines - it became all the more worst. I could'nt bear the treatment for two weeks - mouth ulcers went to the extreme along with tongue blisters - i think i had around some (10-15) ulcers with blisters at the same time. I could'nt eat or drink anything. From then i have started eating fruits  - and it is actually kind of helping..............But i dont know how long i can survive on just fruits. I dont think there is any cure for this ? but still lets hope for the best..................................      

[arshee]

hi jagb u r not alon , i had been suffering since oct 07, it stated wid a mouth ulcer, and than sore throat, skin rashes,extreme fatigue, muscular pains, difficuly in swallowing, swoolen neck, drythroat ,swoolen lymph node under my left jaw ,i visited 8 ent specialists, but no one can diagnose wat the hell is inside my throat, iused anti biotics lik, augumentin, erythromycin, ampiclox, ciproflaxacin, clarithramycin, and anti infamatory lik brufen, ponstan, diclofenic sodium/potassium. i also did my hiv  elisa it is ok, i had ct scan of neck n head which is normal, my urine and other tests r o kay, but one interesting thing is that in all this episode i had no fever. if u or som one else figure it out it will b nice

[raquel414]

hi, i've been having the exact same problems...it all started when i had my lower right wisdom tooth extracted on march 17th of this yr.went through pure hell , having developed "dry socket", thats when your bone and nerves are exposed...im still healing. i'll just say this, it was the WORST  pain i EVER  had in my life...cannot describe...i was on 2 courses of antibiotics....along w/ vicodin 750mg, and motrin 800mg., did nothing for the pain. ever since this horrible experiance w/ the tooth/dentist(the butcher), i too have had my right gland swollen 24/7, and feels like i have a lump in my throat. my right ear pops when i speak, and i too, find that speaking for long periods will worsen the pain, and make my gland flare up even more... i have been to the e.r., where they said gargle w/ salt water...i have seen a neurologist, who said my gland was inflamed, and an rx for facial bones...(my jaw pain) from tooth extraction(have yet to do that), i have seen the ent who looked in my ear, said it looked "fine", and stuck a tube down my right nostril to see if i had anything in my throat...said he saw nothing.this mind you, was the very next day after i saw the neuro., this guy, the ent tells me my gland isnt swollen!!! wtf???hello! i can feel the difference from the left side, when i turn my head, it hurts too, and sometimes even "pops'..?idk... this past wed. i went to an oral surgeon, where i had a pnoramic x-ray done of my jaw/teeth, no fracture, the surgeon, who rushed by the way , just told me, my "dry socket" looked like it was healing, and maybe i need a cleaning .so, i called my dentist and have that set up for this coming week.  as far as getting answers from these so called professionals....NOTHING. im in pain 24/7, i have a dry spot in my throat, and i wake up w/ my throat sore and dry,i wake up in the middle of the night having to hydrate my throat also.... and did i forget to mention i went to my primary doc., where they did blood test, and everything came up normal...so.....what the heck is going on with me? i have lost weight, as i am in constant pain, and can only eat soft foods...and i've become extremelly depressed.......i think having pain anywhere in your head/neck area is the worst.....i've gargled w/ salt water, and that did nothing but dry my throat up even more......im sick of this pain.......and no answers.....so, jagb, your not alone. please let me know if you find an answer, i cant imagine that you've been suffering w/ this pain for a year!!!! only we know this is like...cant really describe it to someone who has no clue.....if you have had any luck let me know.......

[jagb]

apoligies i meant gargle salt water**

[jagb]

cheers for that though i hope that is not that case as a young girl died recently of that in my hometwon =S

i had a talk with a few med student friends of mine ranging from 2nd to 4th year and they suggest drinking salt water. i met up with one and she felt it saying my glans were inflammated and this was confirmed by the sharp pain when swallowing. i was told they werent of any real use and due to the long aggrivation i should request to have them (well maybe just the left as its the one that always seems to give bother) removed. i will do my best on wednesday to get sorted. im going to a doctor with a good reputation for a change so fingers crossed

and advice still welcome....

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

just a punt and I am probably wrong, but one can have Tuberculosis in the throat. I suggest this because you stated you took antibiotics for a while and it worked and then it no longer worked. TB is a creative bacteria that finds way to get around antibiotics.

So you can toss my theory aside if you like...  it is just a thought.