Chronic Pharyngitis (Sore Throat) - Please Help!!!!

[NPetruzzi]

I'm a 23 year old male and I've had a chronic sore throat for over 5 months now.  It's driving me out of my mind.. Please help me where my other Doctors have not..

I've been tested for allergies and I've had a few allergies to trees indiginous to my location.  But upon use of Clarinex, Allegra, Zyrtec, etc. I received no relief.

I had a Barium swallow which showed reflux.. I was treated with 40 mg Nexium, twice a day.  This did not help.

Went to ENT, and took 875 mg of Augmentin for 2 weeks, with no relief!  Actually, it become WORSE on the antibiotics.

I then underwent an endoscopy, pH probe, and subsequent Nissen Fundoplication.  The endoscopy showed a very small area of inflammation and the pH probe showed supine reflux.  But after the Fundoplication surgery - I have received no RELIEF in the throat area.  This was supposed to fix my problem.  But it has been 3 weeks now and there is NO SIGN OF HEALING in my throat.

I've also been tested for HIV, Lupus, Sinusitis, H. Pylori, and have had a thyroid ultrasound.  All of these came back negative or normal!!

The only unexplored avenue that I can see is that in my Sinus CT the radiologist noticed "Septum Deviates to left with Left-sided septal spur."

Is this a possible cause of the problem??

Also let me tell you what my throat looks like..

If i shine a penlight back there I can see red patches and very dilated blood vessels. Also there is a yellowish lump just posterior to my soft palate if I raise my uvula and observe.  The lump is about .5 cm in diameter and slightly raised, but it looks like some of the vessels are originating from it.

Could this be some kind of Oropharyngeal / Nasopharyngeal Cancer?  Or can this just be a case of bad Post Nasal Drip that needs to be corrected with surgery?

I've tried Nasal Washing, and regularly using Sudafed & Guafennesin without any help as well...

I Do notice that if I drink beer or sometimes even after eating, I get the feeling like I need to clear my throat, but can't get anything up.  My voice will also sometimes go hoarse after actively talking for only 20-30 minutes.

Is there anything else this could be???

Thank you for your help!! This really has put me into a major depression and I'm not the person I was 6 months ago.  I just need to fix this problem and move on with my life.

Look forward to your response,
Nick

[redplasma]

A related discussion, Possible Cure was started.

[sprayfade]

I too have had similar symptoms for almost 2 years, had laryngoscopy, showed redness, tried antibiotics, which seemed to help some, then the problem came back.

Had tonsils removed, problem seemed to go away for awhile.

I am a smoker, but use nicotine gum most of the time, I feel its something to do with the gum. Also feel problem could be allergy related or sinus. I sleep on my side and throat side having problem is the one facing down

Next step is to get Barium swallow.

[kevinny]

Thank you for posting.  This is the first time I have found something on the internet that seems to describe similar symptoms that which I have for the last year or so.  At first, it started with a sore throat, redness, irritation.  This didn't worry me.  Then one night, while sipping diet pepsi I felt a swelling at the back / base of my tongue (I believed).  It was a minor swelling, but was noticably different from anything I have ever felt before.  Once approximately every two weeks I got the same symptom, and otherwise my throat was just mildly sore.  Went to PCP a few times, and was treated for post-nasal, sinusitus (had CAT scan of sinuses), allergies, quick-check for strep... no help with each treatment, all checks negative.  I used to sing often, but since this has progressed, I cannot sing more than 10 minutes max, and my throat gets fatigued, and voice lowers some.  My normal range is still there whenever I start to sing though.  Always can talk, but talkin on the phone makes my thoat fatigue also.

I went to a ENT starting at the end of August, and he did the camera up the nose, down the throat, and saw lots of redness.  Put me on Nexium, once a day.  It has helped take away the soreness mostly, but once a month or so I get swelling again, in the throat, lump in throat.  I have seen the ENT in October also, and he wanted me to stay on the Nexium, as the redness wasn't entirely healed, and I was still experiencing some symptoms.  Tomorrow is my next ENT appt.  I will post back after it.

In the last 4 weeks I have noticed my right throat gland swollen, consistently, and in the last 3 days my right tonsil tingling and swollen too.  In my throat, when I swallow food, it goes more to the left side now, as I belive my whole right side feels swollen.  Left side feels great / normal.  Just the last 2 days, my right ear has a consistent / intermittent ring (very mild) but it concerns me if it is connected.  

I can very much relate to the worries all of this brings, and how each one of you posted about your worries.  Yes, cancer and the like all come to mind.  Just know you all are not alone in dealing with these types of mysterious symptoms.  

Thanks for your time reading.... and your advice from other's posts!

Kevin

[jellicle]

I'm so glad you guys are posting.  My boyfriend is so frustrated with his symptoms and the doctors just seem so either lazy or not willing to say "I don't know".  So the common response (and seemingly the only confident response they've all agreed upon) is reflux.  He's had the same reaction to meds... antibiotic: got better, then worse, reflux meds: seemed to help and then worse than before...
I'm wondering about Benjo for sure, but I'm also curious, have any of you had irritated gums? -Like something sharp is poking your whole gumline? -like how a cleaning feels.  There are not specific areas, and no "spots".  
Also, probably not related, but just to see if there might be more common threads, Is anyone having painful lymph nodes under arms? (His comes and goes.)
I'm almost convinced that it's yeast.  When I can convince him of that -and to go on the strict diet to get rid of it, I'll let you know how it works out...

[Rustille]

Benjo could you please tell us what the biopsy revealed? I have identical symptoms to you guys and am currently at the 'pre-see someone in ENT' stage. What I don't understand is why this seems to affect one side of the throat much more than the other. The most depressing symptom for me is the interruption to my speech, I constantly have to cut myself short in conversation. After speaking for about 20mins in a day my throat becomes raw and my voice becomes hoarse.

[hands4healing]

Calc Phos in triturated doses will help with overall "throat health"   also, check for systemic fungus.  Often overlooked especially if antibiotics have been taken.  Check out book called "the fungus link" by doug a. kaufmann.  Also try essential oils such as oregano, clove, etc.  that are anti-fungal/anti-viral.  young living has extremely pure unadulterated essential oils of this quality.  for my family, I use a combination called Thieves applied topically near tonsils, a drop between two altoids then place in both sides of mouth so thieves can slowly disperse and a drop on the soles of each feet (best absorbsion for systemic issues).

hope this helps

Regards,

Rich