Calling all medical sleuths - WTF is going on with my throat??

[inigomontoyahwillcox]

I will be trying to get an appointment with the GP tomorrow but thought I'd see if any of you had any ideas what the hell could be going on between now and then.

It started with a tickle in the right hand side of my throat a bit beyond my tonsil about 4 or 5 days ago. The tickle could be so intense that I had to cough and cough to try and relieve it (which it didn't). It then developed into pain which spread into my ear and even my shoulder and top of my chest.

The pain is just so intense (as is the tickle which now comes and goes but bloody awful when it's there) and my glands in that side of my neck are swollen and super painful to touch. It feels like someone is stabbing a very fine needle into my throat. You'd think throat infection, but it's so localised in one particular area of my throat, and I'm not systemically ill (no fever). My tonsil doesn't look swollen (it feels a bit lower than my tonsil).

WTF is going on? It almost feels like something has got stuck in there (I mean, I did have fish and chips last week, but I can't remember swallowing any fish bones!)

maybe a tonsil stone poke it and see. When you get tonsil stones ,they sometimes need to be cleaned out

Have you stuck a torch down and had a look? I had this and it was a tonsil stone. I have been told its possible for food to get stuck and cause this!

Am adjourning to the bathroom now to have a look

Had a poke around. Nothing obvious going on with my tonsil. And it does feel lower down.

I've just read your OP again and I've realised this is very similar to symptoms I've had twice right before losing my sense of smell and taste when I had covid - apart from the chest and shoulder but I wonder if that could be an extension of infection in your lymph nodes.

Maybe an infection, hence the lymph nodes being so swollen and painful. Now radiating to under my jaw.

You need to rule out Quinsy, which you can have without a fever. Can be very serious and shouldn’t be left.

I had quinsy with no fever but if she can poke her tonsils and can't see anything on them I think it's unlikely

Could be a very serious infection that has spread

You need to be seen asap

You've had exactly the same symptoms as me;an urgent ultrasound on my neck last Tuesday showed I've a blocked salvia gland in my neck;there a calcium stone in the duct to it causing the blockage;my throat and ear have been painful for a while;does it hurt more when you swallow?

DH had a salivary gland blockage cause by a stone - it was very painful for him especially at mealtimes of course, when his mouth was watering. You could see the swelling under his jaw, but I suppose it wasn't totally blocked as it would subside gradually and the pain would go for a while. It cleared on its own in the end, the stone popped out, perhaps.

Oh interesting - I hadn't considered that. Didn't realise that could be so low down in your throat. Thanks, will mention to doc.

Google AI did suggest peritonsillar abscess which worried me, but it's a little Lowe than my tonsils, although I guess you could get an abscess anywhere.

@inigomontoyahwillcox sorry this is an old post but did you find out what it was? I’ve got exactly the same!

It was an infection in the end. Just a VERY localised one. Antibiotics cleared it up. It was very odd though - could had sworn I had a toothbrush bristle or summit stuck in there.

Thank you for letting me know! Brilliant I’m glad the antibiotics worked, maybe that’s what I need then! Still waiting to see a doctor next week xx

Dh has similar and has just been diagnosed with scarlet fever.