Feel like my throat is going to hurt forever

[Mascarponeandwine]

Five and a half weeks ... started with a slightly irritated squeaky throat and hugely achy neck, which lasted about 3 weeks. Took ibuprofen and codeine and thought I’d wait it out. GP said he couldn’t feel any lumps but my throat was red so he prescribed reflux meds and antibiotics.

The neck pain seems to have faded a lot but my throat/top of windpipe is killing me! I think I’ve managed to get a cold, as also had a blocked nose on and off, and either ear keeps popping. Throat pain still in front of neck but also around the dangly bit, oh and I’ve been hoarse since Sunday.

Is this some sort of virus? Two viruses? Not had a temp or fever. Maybe laryngitis, though not sure it would last this long. Ages until follow up GP appointment in 2 weeks time.

Grim

@Mascarponeandwine Thanks for thinking of me! Yes, all is good here. My MRI was clear, which was obviously a huge relief, but doesn't explain why my throat and ear are still painful. My consultant said that he wants to wait a few weeks and see whether I start to feel better now I don't need to worry about what's causing the pain. Quite possibly my sleepless nights about school places and sore throats have been hindering my recovery! I suspect also that a wisdom tooth might be causing some of the ear pain, so I'm going to see my dentist about that.

We also got our first choice secondary school (so much better than the other two choices) so lots of relief all round today.

Hope you are feeling better soon. I'll keep you posted as to whether my throat does just clear up or not. My consultant said I can go back if I need to and he could do a biopsy of the cyst (that he doesn't think is causing pain), but he doesn't think this will change anything about my symptoms and it would be a general anaesthetic so it's not something to do lightly. Fingers crossed we all start to feel better soon!

I've just found this thread as was looking for sore throat ongoing ideas.
I had a light flu which turned into bronchitis the first two weeks of Feb and now been back at work for 2 weeks but last 3 days have raging sore throat. No fever, no real cold symptoms but obviously have also googled and convinced myself I have everything.
I am doing steam inhalation, drinking all manner of foul good for you things, gargling with salt water and rubbing Vicks on the soles of my feet. Also had chicken broth for lunch but throat still feels red raw. Am wondering if my sinusitis has affected it as it was quite bad last week and I imagine I slept with my mouth open and everything dripped down my throat.
I still have the odd bit of a cough from the bronchitis but am just fed up now.

@ShoesJerry that’s great news, so relieved for you!

I have an ENT consult in a couple of days time. Will see what they say. I think there is someone else on these boards who also saw ENT for the same sounding symptoms and nothing showed up.

Have you tried colloidal silver? I use a brand called argentyn 23 and love it!

Bookmeon me too. Had flu for 3 weeks then sore throat... Went and came back... I am taking liposomal vit c and gargling with salt... Rubbish isn't it.

My dad had a bit of a hoarse voice and a feeling of something in his throat and jaw pain for a while and it turned out to be reflux. He felt a lot better once he started taking gaviscon. Might be worth a try.

The GP gave me a prescription for reflux 2 weeks ago now. It has worked and the indigestion is gone. Am still wheezy though (all in my throat, lungs are fine).

The throat has been hurting slightly less, the last day or so. Admittedly I’ve taken codeine to give me a break from the soreness. Still feels good to swallow / eat, I don’t notice the lump feeling then. Maybe I need to just keep eating

Voice nearly back to normal after the cold. Neck still weird though.

Good you're feeling better a bit Masc.
I've been throwing everything at mine and trying to boost my immune system:
Have ordered some colloidal silver (thanks dabo, had never heard of it, but am a teacher so often get strained throat so will keep it in my first aid cupboard!)
Am taking ibuprofen, Vit C, zinc, echinacea, a drink I can get here in Italy which is like lemsip but without paracetamol and us for coughs and throats, an anti inflammatory throat spray, pure blueberry and pomegranate juice, homemade chicken soup, sleeping with a woolly scarf on, gargling with saltwater, and spoons of organic honey every so often.

I'm a walking health food store at the moment.

I've been taking Vocal Zone throat sweets and finding them very good so far.

I suffer with my throat/tonsils too OP (has tonsillitis every 6 -8 weeks one year and they still wouldn't take them out!) so I sympathise.

I find Tyrozets excellent. They've an antiseptic in them as well as an anaesthetic, completely numb your throat for a good while.
Ask in your local chemist. They're a god send.

A cup of tea with a tot of whiskey in it helps too.

Soooo, saw ENT consultant who checked neck, camera down throat etc. He can’t see anything drastic, larynx looks fine, but my thyroid is enlarged so I’ve been referred for an ultrasound. I have pre existing thyroid issues and a goitre anyway so difficult to know if it’s larger than normal. ENT thinks it might be irritated /inflamed after a viral infection which is causing the neck discomfort. So we’ll see I guess.

@Mascarponeandwine glad you've seen the consultant and that they have some kind of theory. Hope your scan shows whether the thyroid is the culprit or not. Are you feeling any better yet?

@ShoesJerry the sore throat is now a background soreness rather than constant front-of-my-mind pain. Still getting twinges of pain in the front thyroid area, though the sides of my neck are much improved. Not quite gone though. Ibuprofen is a godsend!

The consultant thought they probably wouldn’t find anything on ultrasound, but given I have thyroid history and an enlarged gland, it was pertinent to do a scan. Hope I get a date through soon (and realise how lucky I am that my employer offers private healthcare)

So still worried but a bit calmer! How are you?

I'm a bit the same in that my throat pain is more of a background thing now. With a clear MRI I think my brain has switched off wondering what the pain is and is no longer focusing on it, so I'm not thinking about it much. Sleeping so much better and have been to both my choirs this week. Tentatively feeling like I'm on the mend....

That’s a relief! I’m not sure how much is my anxiety and how much is the thyroid. Hoping for an ultrasound this week to put me out of my misery.

Sore throat slightly worse today and I seem to have a tonsil stone. Hoping it's not actually another bout of tonsillitis! Hope you get your ultrasound soon @Mascarponeandwine

Well the throat has finally stopped hurting. 7 weeks and no idea why. Ultrasound was negative, nothing new showed up since last scan. So I guess that’s it!

@marscaponeandwine, that's great. Mine has also stopped hurting almost completely, having started just before Christmas. I guess it's just been a very long virus?

Sorry, that should have been to @mascarponeandwine