Terrified about neck/ear discomfort - months now

[artist12]

I have been dealing with this for months now and am getting really scared again. I haven't had this bad of a flare up in a while.

I've had a full feeling in my ear and throat on the right side for a while, along with neck soreness in the back and front. Sometimes it almost goes down into my clavicle area, or other times down the back of my neck. Sometimes I have a full ear ache. It will subside for a little while, but keeps coming back.

I've been to a chiro who thinks it's all due to my desk job, poor posture, etc. but I can't shake the feeling that I have neck or throat cancer. I smoked for a few years in college but have since quit.

I'm 26 years old - I am terrified I'm going to live in fear of neck or throat cancer at this level forever, since I DID smoke at one point.

Could this really all be due to anxiety/depression/chiropractic issues? I feel like I'm making myself sick.

[uru]

It's not throat or neck cancer. You're too young for a start and it doesn't come and go if it's cancer...it just gets worse.

It CAN really be anxiety. There is a whole subsection dedicated to throat issues in here.

[Mary2]

I have the same symptoms and I went to an ENT specialist and she told me to take milgamma 100 three times for 10 days. She said it could be a cold, allergy or affected nerve and that I have a thinned mucosa?

[Goodthoughts]

I have had the same thing, I visited an ent who told me it was tmj, he referred me to a physical therapist who found it was a muscle in my neck that was tight and out of whack from posture. She gave me some exercises to do that were easy and it helped tremendously! I would consult a physical therapist, I bet you will get relief!

[kellylou89]

Omg i thought it was just me! Im suffering from the exact same symptoms at the moment they have come and gone for the past 1.5yrs but have returned recently and kicking my anxiety off sky high again i also have the ear fullness on the right side with the tight achey soreness feeling which ofcourse has you lump checking which in return makes your neck more sore because you are poking at it!

[artist12]

Thanks, guys!

I'm afraid to say that I've since made things even worse since posting! My ear still hurts, but I keep trying to tell myself that if I really had a growth or something serious, it would just be getting progressively worse, instead of varying in intensity. And I tend to forget about it when I'm eating - surely it would affect my eating if there were really something in my throat, right??

KellyLou - one thing that has been helping a bit is a hot compress on my neck and shoulder area. I wonder if we have just made all the muscles in our neck and jaw so tight from stress that it's very hard to undo! I know what you mean about prodding and checking, though, sometimes I to think I make myself more sore that way.

Best wishes to you!