JB33
26-08-21, 09:49
I'm fairly frustrated with myself these days - I am aware this is likely further reassurance seeking; however, would like to express as an outlet - maybe there are some words or others who can relate? Or maybe just me typing this out could help me and then for me to read it all back? Why can't I take comfort from the below? I mean, this looks like an extremely thorough examination and evaluation to my neck and throat.
I have caught myself Googling and looking up various throat and neck muscles and conditions, I am hyper aware of swallowing now and on the lookout for pain or discomfort. I am also wondering if this is a control thing for me? Personal current stressors are out of my control so I am focusing on these sensations and symptoms as a means to control something as I am currently unable to control the other things going on in my life?
Personal Background:
- long term HA sufferer along with somatic symptom disorder
- history of visiting multiple Dr's for same concern and ending up with scans/invasive testing all turn out to be negative
- multiple ongoing stressors currently (new job, IVF, COVID and vaccine worries)
- tendency to grind my teeth and tense throat muscles
Current concern:
- left-sided throat pain for 4 months. Sometimes an ache that lasts for hours, can also be intermittent, occasionally I get ear and jaw pain too not not often.
- triggered on swallowing (saliva, solids, liquid). Feels like the food is rubbing of something that shouldn't be there around the adams apple area, but deeper in toward the throat.
- pain can feel like a short stabbing, sharp sensation that lasts a split second when swallowing but can be intermittent, mostly to the left of the adam's apple, sometimes feels like back of throat too.
- feeling of tension/foreign body in left throat, made worse sometimes by turning head to the left, an awareness of a fullness.
- yawning, talking or sometimes stretching can trigger the pain. Turning head to the left can trigger what feels like tension/globus/fullness in adams apple area
- when I place a finger into my throat and reach further down beyond the tonsil, I can feel a hard cartilage-like lump sticking out on the left side, but not sticking out as much on the right. I am assuming this is thyroid cartilage
- pain can range from sharp short 8/10 (happens rarely) to a 2/10 that can happen more frequently (almost like a typical sore throat pain but one sided - this can also be intermittent).
Investigations done on current concern:
- 4 private referrals to two ENT within 2 months, two separate ENT surgeons (2 opinions).
- First Dr felt my neck, looked into my mouth with a torch and said "no need for scans or testing, some evidence of teeth grinding - a scan would show nothing at all"
- I then went back 2 weeks later to the same Dr as I thought "what if I didn't tell him everything?", "what if I missed some important info?". He said "no further testing is needed, no scans" and he is happy with his assessment.
- The thoughts continue - so I seek a 2nd opinion. The 2nd ENT Dr offers an MRI scan which scares me and my psychologist said that some Dr's will do this but not realizing this is making your anxiety worse.
- I decline the scan and explain my HA fear, he said "there is less than a 1% chance of something being found of concern but it's there is you want it, I am simply offering it to you as an option but as it will offer such a low yield and make your anxiety worse, lets park it but keep it in your pocket should you want it" - he then examines my neck and throat again, but also this time does a mirror exam of my throat and has a feel of the structures at the back of my throat with his finger and listened to me. He said "I hope not to see you back in the nicest way possible". This Dr also couldn't find anything of concern. He said there was some tenderness and tension in the styloid apparatus and pterygoid muscles. I am aware that accepting the scan is feeding into my anxiety and reassurance checking and that this behavior is history repeating itself and is not helpful.
- I then send an email to this Dr as the thought entered my mind "I never asked him what that lump feeling was below my tonsil? What if that's the cause of my pain im feeling?" He said he would type up a response to me to which I am waiting.
Other relevant Info:
- I had a nasal endoscopy for a globus sensation by another ENT dr on the NHS 7 months ago which shown reflux and thrush and some swelling in the throat tissues but nothing of concern.
- the 1st Dr (above) I had seen 2 years ago for what he said were "similar symptoms" then but I can't remember exactly
- knew someone diagnosed with stage 4 tonsil C
- had family member mis-diagnosed with C
I have caught myself Googling and looking up various throat and neck muscles and conditions, I am hyper aware of swallowing now and on the lookout for pain or discomfort. I am also wondering if this is a control thing for me? Personal current stressors are out of my control so I am focusing on these sensations and symptoms as a means to control something as I am currently unable to control the other things going on in my life?
Personal Background:
- long term HA sufferer along with somatic symptom disorder
- history of visiting multiple Dr's for same concern and ending up with scans/invasive testing all turn out to be negative
- multiple ongoing stressors currently (new job, IVF, COVID and vaccine worries)
- tendency to grind my teeth and tense throat muscles
Current concern:
- left-sided throat pain for 4 months. Sometimes an ache that lasts for hours, can also be intermittent, occasionally I get ear and jaw pain too not not often.
- triggered on swallowing (saliva, solids, liquid). Feels like the food is rubbing of something that shouldn't be there around the adams apple area, but deeper in toward the throat.
- pain can feel like a short stabbing, sharp sensation that lasts a split second when swallowing but can be intermittent, mostly to the left of the adam's apple, sometimes feels like back of throat too.
- feeling of tension/foreign body in left throat, made worse sometimes by turning head to the left, an awareness of a fullness.
- yawning, talking or sometimes stretching can trigger the pain. Turning head to the left can trigger what feels like tension/globus/fullness in adams apple area
- when I place a finger into my throat and reach further down beyond the tonsil, I can feel a hard cartilage-like lump sticking out on the left side, but not sticking out as much on the right. I am assuming this is thyroid cartilage
- pain can range from sharp short 8/10 (happens rarely) to a 2/10 that can happen more frequently (almost like a typical sore throat pain but one sided - this can also be intermittent).
Investigations done on current concern:
- 4 private referrals to two ENT within 2 months, two separate ENT surgeons (2 opinions).
- First Dr felt my neck, looked into my mouth with a torch and said "no need for scans or testing, some evidence of teeth grinding - a scan would show nothing at all"
- I then went back 2 weeks later to the same Dr as I thought "what if I didn't tell him everything?", "what if I missed some important info?". He said "no further testing is needed, no scans" and he is happy with his assessment.
- The thoughts continue - so I seek a 2nd opinion. The 2nd ENT Dr offers an MRI scan which scares me and my psychologist said that some Dr's will do this but not realizing this is making your anxiety worse.
- I decline the scan and explain my HA fear, he said "there is less than a 1% chance of something being found of concern but it's there is you want it, I am simply offering it to you as an option but as it will offer such a low yield and make your anxiety worse, lets park it but keep it in your pocket should you want it" - he then examines my neck and throat again, but also this time does a mirror exam of my throat and has a feel of the structures at the back of my throat with his finger and listened to me. He said "I hope not to see you back in the nicest way possible". This Dr also couldn't find anything of concern. He said there was some tenderness and tension in the styloid apparatus and pterygoid muscles. I am aware that accepting the scan is feeding into my anxiety and reassurance checking and that this behavior is history repeating itself and is not helpful.
- I then send an email to this Dr as the thought entered my mind "I never asked him what that lump feeling was below my tonsil? What if that's the cause of my pain im feeling?" He said he would type up a response to me to which I am waiting.
Other relevant Info:
- I had a nasal endoscopy for a globus sensation by another ENT dr on the NHS 7 months ago which shown reflux and thrush and some swelling in the throat tissues but nothing of concern.
- the 1st Dr (above) I had seen 2 years ago for what he said were "similar symptoms" then but I can't remember exactly
- knew someone diagnosed with stage 4 tonsil C
- had family member mis-diagnosed with C