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1939607 tn?1324289300

Unilateral intermittent sore throat

Hello!

I am 25 years old, female. I am generally healthy and I never smoke or drink.

On the 10th of March (about a month ago) I fell down with tonsilitis. My fever was not really high but my throat was sore, my ears were hurting, i felt weak etc etc.  The doctor ordered me to let it run its course and so it did. In 2 days time i was feeling great, i got back to work (i am a teacher) and everything was fantastic. 10 days later (about 2-3 weeks ago) I got ill with some virus that made my throat sore again and gave me a stuffy nose that I am still battling.

In the last month, the strangest thing has been happening to me. I wake up feeling okay and around early evening I get a unilateral sore throat. To be more precise, from the 25th of March until the 1st of April, I kept on getting pain on my left tonsil that radiated on my left ear and the left side of my tongue around the evening. It hurt to swallow, it hurt to talk, it hurt to retract my tongue. Oddly enough, my tonsil did not look swollen and my lymph nodes did not feel "lump-y", even though they are tender to touch.

Then, for a couple of days it all went down and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Since last night, though, I have been getting the same unilateral ear-tonsil-tongue pain but on the right side. The whole sensation is identical, only it has switched sides! No swollen tonsil, no lump in neck, just the tender neck and the sore throat.

To sum up, I have unilateral intermittent sore throat that tends to occur around evening and reaches its peak before i fall to sleep.

No chills, no fever, no weakness, my appetite is the same, my energy levels are okay.

Also, note that I had allergic rhinitis as a kid and it's the pollen season right now, even though I don't really know if that's anyway related.

I have made an appointment with an ENT but it's in 3 weeks time. I hope I'm not dead of lymphoma or some killer throat bacteria till then.

Has anyone been through the same thing?
5 Responses
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Avatar universal
I have been having this for a month now and it keeps going away and coming back! One day it'll be right side and the the next day it switches to the left. Did you find out what it was?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sore Throat Treatments:

    Water:
    when you feel throbbing in your throat, water is generally the best fix for it. Water is classic treatment which is very much useful particularly if you want to cough away phlegm trapped in your throat or in your lungs. Consume 8 portions of warm water each day.
    Salty Water:
    Gargling salty water is also a highly effective method upon remedies with regard to sore throat. Mix in certain salt in a pinch or even two in a glass of warm water. Gargling this blend 2 to 3 occasions a day can make you feel relief from sore throat.
    Cayenne pepper:
    Gargling cayenne pepper can be another effective indicates on sore throat treatments. Cayenne pepper assists lessen the actual throbbing from the throat. Include 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper into one glass of water. Clean your mouth with this particular three times every day.
    Turmeric powder:
    Blend in one tablespoon of turmeric natural powder in a cup of water. Make sure that everything is nicely mixed. Consume this mixture 2 to 3 occasions a day. It really is one of the most useful remedies. This can keep an unpleasant flavor in your mouth but try not to gag up when consuming this.
    Apple Juice:
    Heat up some apple fruit juice in your microwave oven for a couple minutes. However, not so very hot that it burns up your mouth and throat. Warm apple juice is effective in reducing the inflammation of your sore throat.
    Read more check out: ​ http://www.jhafi.com/how-long-does-a-sore-throat-last.html
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have also had this same experience. (symptoms below).

I think I have an allergy to Flonase! The details of severe and less severe side effects of the drug are found here:
http://www.rxlist.com/flonase-side-effects-drug-center.htm

I think it's the Flonase, in my case adverse reactions are: mild swelling (throat), sore throat, white sores/dry spots in the throat, nausea and vomiting, sinus irritation and congestion, pain in the lymph node area. I also experienced feeling difficulty swallowing, dry cough, dry throat/mouth -- all signs of a relatively severe allergy.

Lots and lots of sufferers online have been asking about this. Others have reported these same sore (alternating) throat pain radiating to ears, and the symptoms nefeli1986 lists, as well as: yeast infections of the throat and sinus problems (also Flonase side-effects). Almost all mentioned taking Flonase or similar nasal sprays for the initial illness (cold or sinus infection).

I believe that people start taking the flonase to help cold/flu/sinus infection, and then it gives us this traveling, achy sore in the Eustachian tubes. I often cough up these dry little patches after a cold, like tiny white scabs.

I think the pain switches side-to-side depending on which side direction the spray travels: spray then lie on your side, that side gets more meds. Or if one sinus is stuffed up, the meds don't go down to the throat on that side.

My illness details. It started with a really bad sinus infection; I had a lot of pain at the top of my palate, radiating into my nose, ears, and throat. I had a second round of antibiotics (Clarythromicin, Z-Pack) and the second one I was also given Magic Mouthwash (oral lidocane gargle). I was advised to use Flonase, and which I keep on hand but rarely use (OTC), and Claritin-D (ditto).

Warning: Grossness ahead. The first night, I had a horrible "pull" on my palate, to bring the mucus down. It was two coagulated (clotted) lumps of dark yellow mucus, a little bloody, and I immediately felt a little better. Over the next few days, I kept feeling better, until all that was left was a tickle in my throat.  I kept taking flonase, etc., because of continued sore throat, and the throat got worse not better. The pain switched every day or two from side to side, deep in my throat and seemed to move down from the palate level (far back of throat) to the lower throat. Painful swallowing continued, and I felt swelling in my throat. I had vomitting, and congestion, both of which further irritate the throat.

I'm quitting the Flonase. I wonder how they changed the formula when it went OTC.

I also suspect that decongestant (Claritin D in my case) is overly drying. I'm trying to hydrate, and quitting all meds but the magic mouthwash, peppermint or menthol candies, resting my voice, applying warm compresses (heat a damp handcloth in the microwave for 17 seconds), drinking more tea (warm or cold) and less soda -- basically ending all irritations to my throat and hoping that helps.

I hope this post helps others. It seems any time I take a nasal inhaler -- even saline spray -- I get sicker from it than the flu.

I am not a medical pro of any kind, but I am a champion researcher. And I hope I'm right because this is horrible, horrible non--stop pain.

Good luck to you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello and hope you are doing well.

Your symptoms could most probably be due to tonsillitis. Throat pain, difficulty swallowing, fever, scratchiness in the throat, post nasal drip, malaise and loss of appetite are symptoms of tonsillitis. Recurrent tonsillitis is an indication for tonsillectomy, as the tonsils may harbor the infection which keeps flaring up, or they may develop new infections. Please discuss this with your doctor am sure he will provide further assistance.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
Helpful - 0
209987 tn?1451935465
It sounds like it's allergy related.  If you feel worse at night and/or first thing in the morning, it's generally considered to be allergy related. It's worse at night because you've been exposed to the irritant all day.

It could be a viral thing as well. We've been suffering with some sort of viral thing that's been bouncing back and forth around here for quite a while.
Left ear, right ear, sinuses...nasty.
Helpful - 0
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