Pain when swallowing

[ss5868]

Hi :

For the past few weeks, I have noticed a pain in my throat on the left side when I swallow anything.  The pain is intermittent and sometimes I don't feel it at all.  Whenever I feel the pain,  there also appears a small lump in my throat, right below where the molar teeth are and probably at the start of the food pipe.   Also at times when I feel the pain in the throat, I also feel the pain getting transmitted towards the left ear and I feel like I need to pop the ear or something.

I went to my dentist and he found nothing wrong with the teeth and gums, though there has been some tenderness and soreness below the gums and the tongue on the same left side.   He has asked me to  consult a specialist in oral medicine.  

I am worried if this is anything serious.  I really hope it is not.  Please help!

[ss5868]

Thanks for the response.  My dentist has put me on penicillin and I have seen a huge improvement in the condition even before I have finished 1/3 of my dosage.   Today, for the first time, I was able to eat a few slices of pizza and not feel uncomfortable while swallowing it.  I will complete the course of medicine and hopefully it will go away completely.  

Just in case, I have also scheduled an appt with an oral medicine doctor/dentist and will be seeing the specialist in a couple of weeks' time even if I fully recover with the antibiotic treatment.   Hopefully, the check-up will go fine.

Thanks again.  And best wishes.

[jakesbride110]

I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection today. And my syptoms are very very similar to yours. It started last sunday with a sore throat and then it felt like it was getting better. It kept doing that every 4 to 6 hours it seemed except that each time it would come back the pain would get worse. Last night it was so bad I could not talk and was almost in tears. It was more in the back of my throat and sometimes would go away and end up down in my throat. As bad as it was though I wouldn't dought it getting that bad if I had let it go on for a week longer. A bacterial infection can be dagerous if you let if go on to long it can get into your blood stream and cause some serious trouble. I'd get it checked out. My doctor put me on Azithromycin (antibiotic) and prednisone (steroid) for the inflamation in my throat and the pain. Hope this helps.