2WW ENT referral

[WindmillionsFeet]

I’m very worried. Just been to see practice nurse because I’ve had one sided sore throat and bit of earache for about 4 weeks.
Nurse wasn’t particularly worried but is doing the referral anyway but of course I jump to the worst conclusions. I don’t have any hoarseness, trouble swallowing, swollen lymph nodes or anything and she couldn’t see my ear drum due to wax. It’s just the length of time and my age so I fit the criteria. Wasn’t expecting that.

Try not to panic. As you said there don’t seem to be any major red flags and it’s far better that you get looked at than leave things and worry. One sided sore throats are not so unusual and sore throats can last sometimes weeks or months.
Could be any number of things or nothing at all. Hopefully you will get an appointment soon. I know normal ENT referrals where I live can be many months away so look upon this as a good thing.

Thank you. Panic is my middle name lol.
Actually I fully expected to have just been given antibiotics, find they didn’t have any affect then to have to go back and maybe be referred to ENT at that point so it’s kind of cut out that bit.
I do believe the nurse was being a bit cautious and that if it was a doctor then antibiotics would have been prescribed in the first instance. She was going to but then changed her mind having read the guidance on the computer.
I suffer from health anxiety and I really overthink.

It could be post nasal drip. You can get that on one side. Try taking antihistamine and see if that helps?

It's good you're going to ENT. They'll send you for CT on sinuses etc. then the ENT doctor will tell you if it's just medication or potentially surgery you need. If surgery the waiting list I think is long. I'm on it for septoplasty and they said upto 12 months.

But hopefully it won't come to that. It's good they're taking it seriously. It's very unlikely to be anything life threatening.

Thank you Lady. Just taken an antihistamine so will see if this helps. I can feel gunk in my throat so it could well be post nasal drip.

Thanks BillieWiper. Just as long as I know what it is I can put up with the sore throat. I hope you get sorted soon.

Fingers crossed it gets sorted soon. Sorry, I meant to say CT scan of throat rather than sinuses. That was my problem!

Thank you. Just an update. Looking like the 2 week wait is going to be something like 6 to 8 weeks but I am actually feeling a lot better today so may cancel anyway.
Knowing my luck though I’ll cancel and it will come back.

I would still go to the appointment. You will be kicking yourself if you cancel and your symptoms get worse again. It certainly won’t do any harm to get checked out by a specialist ent doctor.

I have just been referred to ENT on the 2 week wait (for hoarseness) and was trying to see what I might expect. This thread came up in my search. OP - did you ever get seen? I hope you feel better.

Hi. Yes I got seen about 5 weeks after referral but by that time the symptoms had gone away.
They usually put a little scope up your nose and have a look at your throat but they didn’t do that with me probably because of the symptoms having gone.
Hope you get seen soon.