Radiating throat pain

[Sunshineonrainyday5]

Hoping for reassurance if someone has had this before!

I came down with a virus 3 days ago. It hasn't developed into anything (no cough/runny nose) except a slight headache and the most awful throat pain.
It's like nothing I have ever experienced (and I've had bacterial tonsillitis before!).

The pain doesn't feel like it's by the tonsils like a normal sore throat, it radiates to the sides where my (very swollen) glands are and all the way up to my ears, so encompasses my entire neck. It feels sore to talk amd makes me feel sick.

I'm so sick of it and worrying that it will never go away. It's much worse at night and in the morning and I can't sleep because of it. Painkillers help for a little bit but not much.

It hasn't eased over the last 3 days, it rather seems to be getting worse.

Help!

Could it be glandular fever? I think pharmacists are now able to give antibiotics for certain minor medical conditions. Maybe worth a try.

@Sunshineonrainyday5 hope you're feeling a bit better, did you get any treatment?
DS has similar, says it's the worst sore throat he's ever had (he's 18) and he had a severe headache for the first two days. He's been in bed since Wed eve, paracetamol/ibuprofen don't seem to be helping with the pain. He's off food and feeling generally rotten. Going to pharmacist now to see what they suggest.

@Gherkingreen not any better unfortunately, worse if anything, I also woke up drenched in the night so I think I'm starting to have a fever. Let me know if you get any good advice. It very much sounds like how it started for me, your poor DS.

Unfortunately I only had a telephone consultation yesterday as DD was vomiting all day and I was alone with her so couldn't get to the GP surgery. But they said its probably "just" a viral throat infection and to rest and keep on top of the painkillers, alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen but it's not doing much for me. And that it can last up to 10 days ...

The gland in my neck on one side is so swollen it feels like an inflamed golf ball in there. So painful.

I'm starting to wonder if we maybe have Covid with DD's vomiting and fever yesterday. Pretty miserable in this house!

@2dogsandabudgie it does seem to fit the symptoms quite well, though I don't have too much tiredness. I mean I'm exhausted but being up a large part of the night in pain or tending to sick DC will do that! I'm otherwise functioning fairly normally in the day. If it's glandular fever I'm really worried about passing it on to the DC :(

It could be covid, there are a lot of symptoms which are affecting people differently. Me and my husband had it just before Christmas and he had a severe headache with it but no sore throat. I had a sore throat (not too bad) but no headache. I know other people who had vomiting with this latest strain. May be worth doing a test just so you know.

I had this last week. It was strep A. Go to the pharmacist and ask to be swabbed. They'll give you antibiotics. I'd never felt so ill in my life.

My glands, tonsils and uvula were so swollen. It felt like my uvula was obstructing my airway when I tried to sleep. I really hope you're feeling better soon, OP. The pharmacist was absolutely incredible. My GP refused to see me.

@return2sender from googling I was pretty sure it was Strep too, a bit annoying that the GP dismissed it. Good to know the pharmacy can swab, I'll go there on Monday if there's still no improvement. Its just annoying I have to power through until then, looking after DC while feeling like crap. Urgh.

Go now! They are open weekends. You will need the antibiotics on board. You don't want to go septic and need admitting.

Oh really? Our local one (rural) is closed weekends so I assumed they all were. I'll look for one!

I had this sore throat when I had covid. Hope you feel better soon, it was worst sore throat pain I've ever had and lasted far longer than I expected it to. Sucking ice chips helped ease it

@Sunshineonrainyday5 the pharmacist gave us some throat spray and suggested gargling with salt water so will be doing both of those.
I can't see any spots on his tonsils and he doesn't have an elevated temperature so we don't think it's tonsillitis. If he's no better tomorrow we'll take him to the pharmacy to see if they'll swab.
Hope you're feeling better soon, sounds like you're having such a rough time of it 😷

I bought a strep test and a covid test, it is Strep! Definitely worth trying if no better tomorrow @Gherkingreen No white spots on my tonsils and no temperature until last night, which was day 5 since throat pain started. I just knew it wasn't a normal sore throat, it wasn't scratchy/tickly and no cough, just pure pain. Hope your DS is on the mend soon.

Ah thanks for that - I think we will pop back to the pharmacist with DS and see what they say. He's still rough poor guy 😔, just sleeping when he can but each time he swallows the pain wakes him up. Hope you're on the mend soon!

Hope you are on the mend soon, OP. Make sure you get some antibiotics.