Throat Cancer Worries

[rmq00108]

Since middle of December, right after a root canal, I have had a feeling that comes and goes in the back of my throat and ears that tickle/burn inside. It's always gone in the morning and goes away at night. I wear inner canal ear buds 10-18 hours a day, and have extreme anxiety. I have been to an internal medicine doctor, 2 dentist, an oral surgeon and finally a top local ENT who trained at Mayo and specializes in H&N cancers. They have done panoramic x-rays, upper and lower jaw x-rays, full oral screenings, with the ENT looking in my nasopharynx, back of throat and tongue, etc. Both doctors noted pretty bad irritation in the outer ear canals, and if that was all, I could let it go, by my throat feeling scares me. No lymph nodes swollen, no lesions, no facial palsy, just annoying ears that keeps me sticking my fingers in them, and throat tightness. I take high doses of an antihistamine that has a side effect of throat dryness and I have TMJ.

Anyway, I am just trying to determine how many more thousands of dollars to throw at this. My anxiety can drive the globus sensation, I know, but absent any abnormalities found by any of the doctors, ENT or dentist, there is not a medical necessity for additional imaging in their opinions and it's frustrating

[rmq00108]

Anyone have any input? Thought there would be shared experiences, guidance or thoughts

[Scass]

I think you need to read your post back to yourself every time you worry, until it sinks in.
A lot of medical professionals have checked you over and can’t find anything wrong with your throat.

Has anyone suggested help for your anxiety? All that money you’re thinking of throwing away could buy some lovely therapy.


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[BlueIris]

Seconding this. You shouldn't be wasting your money and emotional energy when there clearly isn't anything physically wrong. Maybe look for a therapist who specialises in health anxiety?

[Fishmanpa]

As a Head and Neck cancer survivor I'm slamming my gavel down and declaring this fear null and void. if you feel the need to spend thousands of more dollars, PM me. I'll reassure you and happily be paid thousands to do so ;)

Positive thoughts

[rmq00108]

Glad to hear you are a survivor. It's amazing the strength of folks who go through that. My biggest concern is this tight feeling on my left tonsil/tonsil pillar, which happens to be on the same side as my ear discomfort. It comes and goes, but is there regularly nonetheless. I have spent way too much time on survivor groups reading about how their docs missed cancer and finally sent them to an ENT and boom, stage 4.