Arghh I googled throat cancer

[countrygirl]

I know it was stupid of me but I just could't stop myself and of course I keep coming accross the symptom of persistant earache as a symptom of laryngeal or nasopharynx cancer. I knew persistant earache can be a sign of throat cancer so why did I google and scare myself even more.

The hardest part of health anxiety is having patience. I want with all my heart to get to see an ent consultant like now so he can stick a camera down my nose and look everywhere and say this earache and pain when swallowing is not cancer but of course can't.

I am going back to my Gp tomorrow basically for a second opinion. She sympathises with my health anxiety but admits it frustrates her and I so don't want her to sigh at me! But I do want to tell her how frightened I am as well???? What do I do??

[Trixie]

Well you must have really searched hard to find the connection because it took me a while to find a link and I am on the computer all day and I know my way around it. I then came up with 'Other symptoms of laryngeal cancer may include pain or problems with swallowing (dysphagia). There can also be a lump in the neck, sore throat, earache, or a persistent cough'.

Notice the word MAY please believe the doctor today otherwise your life will be a misery.

[JennyW]

Hi Countrygirl.

Your persistent earache. Last year I had an ear ache. Went off the the GP and he said I had quite a bad infection in there. Anyway to cut a long story short, it didn't go away, despite 3 sets of anti-biotics. After going back to the GP after the last set, he looked in my ear and said it was all clear so as I was still experiencing ear ache he referred me to an ENT.

After some simple tests at the hospital, it turned out I had unequal ear pressure in my right ear. I then was able to receive the correct treatment and am now pain free. This may be worth mentioning to the GP?

[jellybean43]

Hi
I just wanted to say I know how terrible HA can be as it has driven me crazy since last October. I am starting to feel a bit better after reading a fantastic book on HA and coming on this site.
Firstly, please please DONT google. I can honestly say it was the very worst thing i did. I made myself sooooooo scared and frightened it was unreal. I too get earache, nose pain, blocked nose------loads of stuff like that and have done for the past 25 years and i am still here!!!!!
I poked one side of my nose so much that i made it bleed and my GP( several years ago before i had HA so i didnt give it much thought) referred me to a specialist who said the bleeding had been brought on through tooo much poking!!!! and didnt seem at all concerned about my earache, sinus pain etc!!!
Anyhow, please believe what the doctor says.
I have a swelling in my neck and i have been to see 3 docs and had a chest, neck X ray and also blood tests. ALL CLEAR.Yet, til i came on these boards i had still convinced myself i had cancer!!!
Some days i still do but most of the time i say to myself
"RIGHT, I am not a doctor, I have to believe them cos they are my last port of call and now i get on with my life"
And you know what most days this now seems to be working!!!!!!
xxxx

[jojo2316]

It's so interesting that throat cancer (which is very rare, especially in females who are not extremely heavy drinkers/smokers), is such a common concern among us health-anxietyers. I worried about it too...... I had the persistant earache (which I KNEW was not due to an infection), and the difficulty swallowing (I could sort of feel the food sticking halfway down). But actually, I now accept that these things can be caused by anxiety......... As soon as I realised the earache was caused by tight neck muscles it miraculously went away (even though I had had it for several weeks).

I'm sure you are fine. I know it is frustrating when docs don't take you seriously........ but I'm sure she has good reason to believe you are OK.....

[countrygirl]

Huge thanks everyone for replying - much appreciated. Today I can think rationally and think what a plonker I was all weekend!!

I saw my Dr this morning who said my outer ear infection was minor and clearing up with antibiotic spray and could not cause the throat pain ( at least I was right there).

She looked in my throat which she said was very slightly red but nothing to think I had galloping thoat infection and all my glands were normal. She did find my neck muscles just under my jaw/ear were very painful and tight and as I have severe neck problem she said it could be caused by muscle spasm or its just one of those viruses that are doing the rounds but she wasn't a bit concerned.

This made me feel heaps better - she said if I still had if after my hoiday next week to go back.

This aftenroon I was talking to a neighbour who said she had had a very sore throat for over a week and it was agony to swallow in one place only!!!!!!!!
She said it was just starting to improve a bit but she wasn't in bit worried and hadn't occured to her to see a Dr she just said it must be a virus and wondered if she would get a cold or something.

Oh how I wish I was like her.