Please help! For two months my husband has had the feeling of swollen glands, as well as, the sensation of "swallowing his tongue". The very upper part of his throat throbs,burns and there was a "glob" in the lower part of the throat. We have been to several ENT's who have diagnosed my husband with GERD's..specifically LPR. Prilosec/Sulcrafate was prescribed, however, this has had no effect on the upper throat symptoms. The ENT indicated that such severe pain in the upper throat is not symptomatic of GERDs. The pain in the upper throat appears to intensify when he is anxious and agitated. The ENT then prescribed a 6 day steroid treatment which again did nothing. Do you have any suggestions? My husband has suffered from various illnesses(most recently he was diagnosed with CTS) in the past 3 years and he is becoming depressed as no doctor can find the reason/cure for this pain. Thyroid tests/blood work/C Protein reactive/CAT scan and XRays were all done and are normal. Could this severe pain be linked to a dental problem such as an abscessed tooth? My husband is in the process of having root canal.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Reply: ------------------------------
It sounds as though your husband has had an extensive evaluation in search of the cause of symptoms. Virtually all conditions that will cause throat pain can be diagnosed by visual inspection of the lining in the throat (sometimes necessitating endoscopic examinations); biopsy of the lining; CAT or MRI scanning; cultures; blood tests checking for anemia, elevation or severe depression in blood cell counts, rheumatologic, metabolic or hormonal condtions, etc; esophageal testing for GERD (manometry, pH monitoring, or even simply empiric therapy with medication for GERD); and allergy testing (possibly including food allergy evaluation). Side effects of any medications being taken need to be considered as a possible cause of sore throat. It is also important to note that many throat conditions frequently can become an object of focus such that the symptoms are significantly magnified by psychological factors.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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