Back again! Throat/Neck issues

[ams]

It's been quite a while since I've posted here...been feeling pretty good lately, with a few little bouts of HA here and there, but in the past week or so, I've gotten myself back into a nice old panic.

A few weeks ago (maybe 3-4), I started getting a sensation of a lump/bubble in my throat, nothing too drastic, and I attributed it to acid reflux/gas, since drinking something bubbly (and burping) often made it go away. Last week, I noticed the feeling in my thorat getting more persistent. I tend to self-check too much, and had already noticed a bump under my jaw that seemed a little enlarged, and a ridge on my Adam's Apple that seemed more pronounced on one side than the other. The weird thing is that both of these are on the right side, and the sensation in my throat tends to be on the right side as well. My throat/neck feel a little sore, though I can't pinpoint the exact spot, though I can say whatever that spot is on my Adam's apple, it can be a little tender, and the lymph node or whatever's under my jaw isn't doesn't really hurt when I touch it/move it around, but that general area exhibits a little discomfort. What's odd is that sometimes, if I'm wearing a jacket with a high collar, or a shirt with a tight neck, there's sometimes some slight discomfort from that outer pressure.

I've not had a ton of trouble swallowing, though certain things have proven a little tough to get down. I've tested myself by eating popcorn, a sandwich, chips, etc over the past few days. It almost feels as though things go down the left side of my throat a little easier, which makes me fear that there's something up on the right side.

The sensation/pain is pretty constant, though sometimes hurts less when I wake up. I also have times when a deep breath seems to hurt my throat a little. I know I've had some acid reflux lately, but that seems a bit much to be causing all of this. I've made a promise to myself to avoid going to the Dr. unless I really think I ought to, so I'm kind of on the fence right now...I'll spend half a day thinking I'm probably fine, then the other half fairly sure that something is very wrong.

Does anyone have any advice/experience to share? Thanks in advance.

[ams]

Today's goal, as much as I'd love to poke and that thing and decide yet again whether it feels smooth or craggy, is to leave my neck alone, and see how that feels. We'll see how it goes. After some discussion with a family member, I think I'm going to try to hold out til late in the week, and if things are still bugging me then, I'll call for an appt.

Still dealing with some acid reflux, and a little post nasal drip. I can only hope these are the culprits of the whole thing...

[ams]

I figured it might be helpful, since I seem to have conquered this part of my ha (for now) to post to let people know that after three visits, my Dr. has said that she thinks that the throat stuff (which is much better) was muscle tension, and that the lymph node in my neck is slightly enlarged, but feels benign. She said to have the Dr. check it out when I go in for my yearly check-up in 3 months.

Now, if that were my only worry, I'd be in good shape, but, of course, some other stuff has taken its place...

[cthechick84]

Hey iam too havin throat issues frm what the ENT says is acid reflux and the docs say is frm anxiety n panic and im in a right state dnt let it get this far i tell u ,mine started at end o september i felt as if something was stuck i my throat and and then it got so bad that i coudlnt eat solids,so as i coudlnt eat without the feeling of food sticking i gave up eating solids and ate sups,ohgurts etc so i woudlt choke then i saw an ent who put a camera up my nose and ino throat and said acid reflux inflamming foodpipe etc gave me tabs t take so i tuk the tabs and within a while about a month i got relief and started to eat solids again then i stopped takin the tbas propelry and on the 1st dec i was eating chips and omg it came back i freaked!!i cudnt swallow them very good and since then it feels very slow in going down my throat,i hate this ive dropped so much weight cos of not regualr eating and it scares me im not seeing the ent untill april orthough i may go see if i can go bk sooner as its doing my head in wanna b back to normal im not sure if its fear now?? or the problems got worse see frm stopping the tabs.i ave been takin them again now for a month or more so hoping i will b ok pretty soon to eat solids and i will never stop the tabs again!!!unless the doc says im clear, i was alright in november and was eating pizza etc cnt belive it,any advice or tips wud help u are not alone wiv this and its scarey best wishes C.xxxx sorry to go on hugs xxx

[ams]

The throat, I find, is very susceptible to anxiety and fear. If it calms you, have a beer or glass of wine before you eat. For me, that was sometimes enough to calm my nerves and offer relief, even if only for a short time.

Then again, if you're someone who finds that alcohol increases anxiety, steer clear. Distraction also worked well for me...I tried ot eat with others, so that the conversation would keep me distracted.