Sore throat...paranoid it's throat cancer

[Irritationcity]

I had a lurgy on and off for a month. It kept coming back, wiping me out. Then it would pass. At the beginning of last week, I had it again - but mostly as a sore throat. It went by mid week, and then it came back Sat. I still have it.

I've been to the doctor. It's not tonsilitis. The throat is a bit red. I have no fever. I have a stuffy nose - but nothing major - so I've been given a nasal spray, which I started to use yesterday. It's not made much difference.

I smoked for years. I stopped properly smoking about 10 years ago, but still have the occasional one. I also used to smoke a lot of weed.

I'm totally paranoid that throat cancer is coming to bite my ass.

Could it be hayfever/another form of allergy?

If the GP checked your throat for tonsillitis, surely he would have seen if it were something else?

She said it was red, that's it. I expressed my paranoia, and she said, well, of course a persistent sore throat is something to keep an eye on. She also said it was very, very unlikely but if in two weeks it hadn't gone, she could refer me.

Well - it sounds as though she thought it unlikely, but good that she is willing to refer you to get it checked if necessary.

with the nasal congestion as well it might be worth considering an allergy. Have you got itchy eyes, or sneezing at all?

It could be post nasal drip from the Lurgy causing the the sore throat and redness.
Give the nasal spray time to work, I had a bad attack of sinusitis last year, with bloody snot 😱. My doctor prescribed antibiotics and a steroid nasal spray, the steroids reduced the swelling in my sinuses but it took longer than a day to kick in.
Are you able to gargle with salt water? That can help a sore throat.

No other allergy symptoms.

I've gargled a bit with salt water, will continue to do so

I've had sore throat and cough on and off since before Xmas, it's part of that vile cold that takes forever to shift, as is the long running stuffy nose. It's doing my head in! My immune system isn't good so that's probably played a part but even the well people I know have had numerous "relapses" after they think they've recovered!

It's also March though that I start getting hayfever and mine affects my throat before anything else (when mild sore throat can be the only symptom) so try an antihistamine for a few days?

It could be a fungal infection. That can give you a red throat.

I've had a sore throat on and off for a couple months now, and have just woken up full of cold again!! - i work in a gp surgery and a lot of patients are complaining of same thing! Wouldn't worry too much

I get a red, sore throat with reflux and was referred at one stage to an ENT because of constant sore throats. Any chance it could be that?

However there are an awful lot of sore throats about, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I've had that cold/cough lurgy and I was actually worried about my constant sore throat but apparently mouth breathing can cause it and as I'm finally breathing better the sore throat has gone.