Freaking out... Again... Cancer... Again...

[WorryIsMyMiddleName]

Hi all. I decided to consult Dr Google again this evening. I know, I know... But I always manage to convince myself that it'll reassure me. Ha! Anyway, I've managed to convince myself that I have some form of throat cancer.

For the past couple of months, I've had the distressing sensation of something caught in one side of my throat (near base of tongue). It feels like a bristle or piece of popcorn, and it's driving me mad. Occasionally, I experience a prickling discomfort in the back of my mouth on that same side when eating, and a small cyst sometimes appears on my soft palate - not sure if this could be related or not. I have an enlarged lymph node under the jaw on that same side, but it isn't at all painful or tender. I've also started to feel as though there's a swelling in my neck which is made worse when I bend my neck or lie on my pillow - possibly the gland. I've seen a GP three times, been prescribed a course of antibiotics just in case it was an infection, been prescribed an oral rinse for inflammation and soreness, but to no avail. The symptoms have slowly been getting worse and the GP has made an urgent referral to an ENT consultant.

This throat problem has been causing me such a lot of distress, we even had to fly home from our honeymoon in the States after just a few days as I was so miserable and felt like I was choking. I'm slowly driving myself and my family insane with all this anxiety and I was wondering whether any of you might have had similar symptoms? Or know of another possible explanation?

UPDATE AUG 2014:
For anybody who might come across this post, looking for information or experiencing a similar problem: 18 months after it began, and I still have the throat issue. It comes and goes, but I still feel something caught in the right side of my throat, and I still have the swollen gland in my neck. I have been seeing the ENT for well over a year, and he has looked in my throat five times but not seen anything of concern. An ultrasound showed the gland to be an enlarged submandibular salivary gland and dilated duct, though no explanation for it so I am due to see an Oral/Maxillo-Facial consultant in the next few weeks. I have recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and whilst this explains my neurological symptoms, it doesn't explain many of my other symptoms. So I can't offer you any answers if you are also experiencing this "thing caught in throat" problem, but feel free to get in touch with me.

[SoupD]

If you suffer from acid reflux, or eat a lot of spicy or acidy foods that often causes a feeling of a lump in my throat for me. Maybe consider what you're eating and try to recall any sensations that you get prior to the lumpy feelings. Try to remember that your doctor is unlikely to miss bad symptoms for something very serious, and even if he is referring you to an ENT consultant, it's probably that he feels you need to see someone more qualified, and not because it is anything serious.

I suffer from anxiety with my throat, related to very bad tonsillitis when I was young, and understand how it can feel like you're going to choke or gag occasionally, but a lot of these feelings are reactions to stress and anxiety, rather than anything malignant.

I hope this helps, and that you start to feel a little better soon!

[angrry]

Hi worry...sorry you're struggling with this...is it possible this is all from post nasal drip?...it could be a sinus related issue. I've been having sinus and throat problems similar to yours for the past few weeks..the sinus issues since December..but the throat issue for about 5 weeks...I've also had quite a bit of neck and ear pain as well which adds to the worry..I've been referred to an ENT as well but not until June 4th...I'm hoping my problems are all caused by my sinuses and post nasal drip but like you I've got myself convinced I have some type of throat cancer. Hope you feel better soon and that we both hear that our problems aren't as serious as we fear.

[WorryIsMyMiddleName]

Thanks both for your replies and good wishes. SoupD - the sensation is not so much a lump but more like a toothbrush bristle or a piece of popcorn caught in the right side of my throat, and it's there constantly so food doesn't affect it. Tomato based foods seem to irritate the area, causing a burning discomfort along with a sensation of food not going down properly. I realise that stress and anxiety can cause throat problems but I also have an enlarged lymph node on that side of my throat?

Angrry - no sinus problems but I suppose anything is possible. I hope your ENT appointment goes well and that they manage to find out what's causing your problems and put your mind at ease. Let me know the outcome, if you remember.

[xfilme]

I had exactly what you are describing. I also described it to my doc as a feeling like a popcorn husk was stuck in my lingual tonsils at the base of my tongue. He also suggested I had an enlarged lymph node, though personally, I think he was just saying that to give me some kind of satisfying answer. I thought at the time it might have been oral thrush so i went without sugar or wheat produce for a month, but still no joy. Eventually I came to the conclusion that it was the sensation of my uvula (dangly bit at back of throat) resting on the back of my tongue. I still get the same situation every now and then. In fact its been hinting at coming back for the past few days, but its also coincided with me waking with a dry mouth and having dry eyes. So it kinda makes me think it is in fact my uvula and due to hydration. When im dehydrated my uvula kinda swells a tiny bit, making sense of that sensation. Please pm me if you are worried. I have come to understand that this sensation is no indicator of anytihing scary. When I first had it about 4 years back, it wouldnt go for weeks. But then i was poking and prodding a lot, and the anxiety caused a lack of sleep, which usually results in my sleeping with my mouth again. Vicious circle :P Ive had it about 3 times in the last 4 years. Im still healthy and fine x

[paul78]

Im also in same problem.

[WorryIsMyMiddleName]

Sorry to hear that others are experiencing this horrible throat discomfort. I hope that by now it has resolved for some of you. Just a quick update - my throat issues are still ongoing, 18 months after they first began. I still experience the sensation of something stuck in one side of my throat, near the base of my tongue, and I still have the enlarged gland in that area of my neck. The ENT couldn't see anything in my throat, and an ultrasound showed the enlarged gland to be a submandibular salivary gland rather than a lymph node, so I am now about to see an Oral Maxillo-Facial consultant to see if he can shed any light on this problem. Although I was recently diagnosed with MS, that diagnosis doesn't really explain this problem, so I still have no clue at all what could be causing all this discomfort in my throat and neck, or what is causing glands to swell. If anyone else with this problem sees this, please let me know how you are getting on.