one sided sore throat and ear and neck pain (throat cancer)

[missy44]

hi there,
its been a good five years since i've felt the need to post on a forum such as this.  i had terrible health anxiety (throat cancer and lung cancer worries) awhile back and now i have it again.  i wish i could find my old posts (i don't know if this was the forum), but i have it again, one sided sore throat with ear discomfort adn a pulling in my shoulder blades.  i've been a smoker for awhile (mild smoker) but back then when it happened i was at the ENT non stop, scopes, etc... i do have cryptic tonsils and get tonsil stones, but this time i'm convinced its cancer... just can't shake it but i'm too afraid to go to the docs..  does anyone else get this.. advil and throat spray helps for a bit but it comes back again.  would advil help cancer pain?  at all??
Does anyone else get this?
Thanks everyone...

[gridder]

Well, I am not sure how old you are or how long you have had throat pain. It seems I read if you have throat pain for more than 2-3 weeks you should have it evaluated. Not because it is cancer, but it could be a bacterial infection, etc. I had a terrible sore throat last week (when we were on vacation, agh!) and it started out in one spot on the right, and then settled down below my adam's apple. So, it wasn't an all-over thing, and it was a virus. Also, it did hurt into my ears -- so I don't think that is worrisome.

You may have something allergic going on, or a bacterial infection, like I said. I heard something once that said "When you hear the sound of thundering hooves, think horses, not zebras." We HA'ers think zebras, and it is most likely just some garden-variety thing you have going on.

[Kayteecatt]

I too have gotten the occasional tonsil stones through the years.  As a kid I had constant tonsilitis, but this was during the time when they didn't want to remove them anymore, so I still have them...and as I type this, my mouth is numb because I just sprayed that crap in my throat because I woke up this morning with a low grade fever and yep...tonsilitis...for crying out loud, I'm going to be 33 in July, does this ever end? lol....

Anyway, I can tell you that right now my throat is so sore, and the side of my neck into my ear hurts, just like when I was a kid and use to get this all of the time.  Could be possible that you too have been having reoccuring bouts with tonsilitis.

[missy44]

thanks, yes it's possible it's tonsillitis, i just worry because it's one sided and it's been about a week now.  my step father went through throat cancer about 6 years back and it really made my fears go through the roof.
halls cough drops make it better and so does tylenol or advil (for a while and then it comes back).  i don't think i feel any lumps, rest assured i'm checking all the time.  i'm always looking in my throat, so terrified i'm going to see something.  i'm quitting my casual smoking habit (patch tomorrow).  my husband thinks my stress and fears manifests in my throat (and I am extremely stressed ou these days) on the other hand, i'm thinking what if this is really IT!
it feels good to have a place to come and write my thoughts.
i wish i could find the place where i used to post and read what i wrote, i'm sure the writings would be very similar...

[blondie]

I have gotten that same thing- for a long time. Few years. I think our minds come into play alot in this. I had it constantly for a long long time, months. Neck on the right side, in my ear and neck. I finally asked my dr about it about 1 yr ago, he said that when your neck gets tense in the back it will also pull muscles there to. Makes sense. After that I didn't worry a bit and it went away. Until right now, for the last week or so, BUT I had a bad cold after I had the flu and have work done on my teeth on that side.  You will be ok!

[Kayteecatt]

I don't think I've ever had both tonsils infected at the same time, even as a child it was one side or the other.  This time around it's my right side and omg is that tonsil swollen..I was like a little kid standing in the mirror with a flashlight trying to see in there...lol...it's so swollen that I don't even have the little hole there right now, and it hurts...I want my mommy...lmao...

[missy44]

Thanks everyone, for tonight i feel better!  once i give up the cigarettes for good i'll feel so much better...

[Kayteecatt]

I gave them up on new years eve...and started them again new years day...YOU can do this...obviously I'm just not ready yet.  I wish you so much luck in getting rid of them!!

[blondie]

My husband and I both quit over 2 years ago (and when I smoke I thought for sure I had or was going to get cancer soon as I lit my cigrette) but we tried the Nicotene inhaler and it worked wonders!  I honestly feel that was the way to go BECAUSE you still can use the habit of smoking and get that burn in the throat! Worked wonders, and for my husband who tried everything else, makes me a firm believer in it!

[Kayteecatt]

Hmmm...where does one find the Nicotene Inhaler?

[Xalatimo]

Thanks everyone, for tonight i feel better!  once i give up the cigarettes for good i'll feel so much better...

My mom and dad both did, and they feel much healthier now.

[missy44]

well, i had a few days where it was better (or I just forgot about it) and now it's back, neck is sore (right side), throat (right side), molars (right side) and pain in my ear... I'm freaking out again thinking it's cancer.  I'm not sure now if the pain was really gone for a few days or if i just forgot about it for a bit.  If it were cancer pain would I have been able to forget about it for a few days?  I'm sorry to be a pain, but i don't want to go back to the place i was a few years ago.    I'm taking advil and tylenol.

I'm afraid to go to the doc, my HA taking over.  I"m afraid to go to the dentist, afraid of being told i have throat cancer.

Any thoughts or help?
Thanks again....

[missy44]

sorry, just bringing this up again, really freaking out right now...

[nole23]

I have this as well! My dentist told me it was all caused by TMJ because the muscles in the throat, back, face etc all go into spasm. Do you grind or clench your teeth? My doc said its allergies and post nasal drip. Neither doc nor dentist seemed concerned about cancer. And considering you have seen an ENT who did a scope test I really doubt something like throat cancer would have been missed. I was told to try relax all the muscles in your face, neck and back just through deep breathing and conscious relaxation. See if it eases the pain a little. Good luck!

[missy44]

Well, I'm back again and suffering with the right sided sore throat, ear pain and upper molar pain.  I'm too terrified to go to the doc, but I sit here and am so sure that I have throat cancer. 

I wish I could find my posts about this from 6 or 7 years ago. 

I know that I'm reaching, but maybe a few answers might help.

If it were throat cancer, would I know it by now... would I have a lump in my neck or something?
If it were throat cancer, would advil help?
Would I have some good days and some bad days?

Thanks everyone....I'm so afraid of falling down the black hole again.  Or maybe this time it really is cancer

[dizziegirl3]

This was once my biggest fear. I had one enlarged tonsil, actually I still do, I went to an ENT he told me it's fine. It was sure I had cancer and I was dying. I was a mess for about 3 months and then finally told myself to stop it! Every now and then I get the one sided throat thing and I start freaking out all over again. It can just be a virus and on top of that you worrying makes it worse, believe me I know. All I have to do is think about my leg hurting and sure enough it will start hurting that day! Hang in there, and just try to convince yourself you are OK (easier said then done!) and I am sure you will start feeling better once you get your mind to believe it!

[Lisa68]

Ive have this too.......seems I've had it since 2006.  It comes and goes, my pain is near my throat on the right side and I have ear pain but the ear pain has been there for 12yrs along with ringing in the ears.  My regular gp thinks its my sinuses, and my ent thinks I have tmj.  Can tight neck muscles in the back cause neck pain in the front?

I have to pick up a moist heating wrap for my neck, and my ent is trying me on soma, a muscle relaxer.  I too am a smoker.

[missy44]

Thanks guys, whew - rough morning!  My stepdad's throat cancer just returned (heavy smoker and drinker for 50 years) after a 6 year remission.  My pain is real, I have been dealing with it for quite a few years now, but obviously this latest development has thrown me for a loop.

How selfish, I start worrying about me, when I should be worrying about him.

A doctor is out of the question right now, I'm terrified to go...

thanks for listening and responding.