Throat Swelling! Need advice!

I went to an internist yesterday because I fell like that my throat is swollen on one side. He suggested we look into GERD or acid reflux. He gave me prevacid also, to take half hour before I eat. I looked into the symptoms of acid reflux: throat irritation and constriction, pain in ears, lump in throat. Every antibiotic they gave me, made it worse. Today is the first day I feel like I am not choking, before this I had to chew them and I was having chest pains. Please, I think you should consider this as a source of your problem. I am eating creamy soups and yogurt or cereal with milk now, because that's all I could handle. I’ve talked with my brother, he has GERD and his symptoms were different, more in his chest. I also felt my life was dependent on my throat swelling, it is horrible.

hi everyone...i am 19 female. i have experienced this uncomfortable sensation!!! like heavy thick full feeling in my neck for the longest time, it is really uncomfortable...and i wish i could find an answer just like evryone else on here. before any of this i experienced a feeling of not be able to breathe and it was really scary because they would say my vitals looked fine and i would go to see doctors and they would say oh don't worry it's probably just anxiety. i was so frustrated because i would go home and think that can't be i knew it wasn't anxiety because i know what anxiety feels like and that was a different feeling. i finally went to a specialist and he said that it was like i was running a half a marathon everyday and i had poor lung function, so he put me on prednesone for 7 weeks, which helped the breathing and in the process helped my neck it did something so i didn't feel that sensation which was great, but then i had to get off of it because it causes side effects and i was getting fullness in my face and my breathing ot better so i then had to go on a inhaler, but i still have that annoying uncomfortable sensation in my neck. OMG so i thought i should go see a thyroid specialist, she said everything looked fine i got a an antibodies test and it looked fine so what is it? because all my symptoms sounded like that. i had an X RAY, MRI, CT, barrium swallow of my neck and everything came back negative. ok so today i went to go see an ENT, he said he felt bad because i was in there last august for the same problem and it still hasn't been resolved, he noticed i had a lot of post nasal drip and he suggested that i go see an gastrologist, does that sound like it could be for my problem he said it can cause that spasm if mucous is coming up...it's gross it's like glue like...but i don't feel acidy or heart burn he said he will go down with a scope and look around...does anybody have any advice for me...please. it would be greatly appreciated...
people don't wanna feel like this but they do and it should be recognized instead of rushed....but doctors just say don't worry. how can you not worry when you feel the way you do...god bless~Alyssa

Hi! I have found these posts quite helpful. About 2 weeks ago I began to feel swelling in my throat, I panicked and thought the worst because it felt horrible. My mom thought it was anxiety because she didn't understand it when I said my throat felt "tight"... I went to the ER and a doctor gave me a prescription for Zantac. I had no idea what acid reflux had to do with my throat but after some research I now understand a bit better. I've been taking it for about a week and a half now and I still feel the same swelling, and lump in my throat as before.
In the begining we thought it was an allergic reaction to something I ate but shouldn't have . Do you think that has something to do with it? Now I am terribly scared of eating something and getting a bad reaction to it... After every meal and drink I feel the swelling tighter than before and that sends me back into a panic. How do I stop that? I am currently uninsured so seeing a doctor will have to wait just a while longer. Hopefully the pills will start to help some time soon, I really don't like feeling this way. :(

Quote:

how can you not worry when you feel the way you do

I guess people that have never had this feeling just don't understand how truly awful it is. I know I constantly feel that at any moment my throat is gonna swell to the point where I can't beath anymore, and i find it very hard not to worry about that.

i just wanted to add something in here. i had that tightness and hard to breathe feeling. mine actually was caused by anxiety related issues, but not actual stress or anxiety. i have mitral valve prolapse, which makes my heart beat irregularly fast and causes anxiety-like side effects. one of which being the tight throat and chest. i now take toprol to keep down my heart rate and have felt pretty good since. if you can't find another answer, this may be something to look into. it has many different "symptoms" and almost no one has the same, so you can't check if that may be what it is. you just have to listen to your body and try to guess what it's telling you. maybe this might help.

THank you so much for your post...i have felt this same way for a few years now..the feeling comes and goes but its like every time i eat i get that strange sensation in my mouth/throat and i cant stop worrying about it. Its finally good to hear that im not the only one that feels this way. im sure a lot of it is in our heads, but wouldnt it be nice if it just went away?

it 's a virus, nothing you can take will help . like a cold but longer, eat regular and brush your teeth, keep yourself healthy. XD

What kind of virus? I've had these symptoms for going on two weeks tight chest, swollen throat, gas, it all goes away after I eat then returns after a couple of hours

USAgirluk wrote:

Hi Everyone... Im new here. I am glad to see that I am not alone on this topic. Mine started a bit different though. June 25th I went swimming and then to Pizza Hut for my daughters birthday. About 1130 that night my hands started burning and itching and then my ears - Within 5 minutes I was bright red, swollen and covered in Hives.....I looked like that girl off the Exorcist. To make a long story short I ended up in the ER being pumped with Adrenalin, Steriods and Antihistamines. I have NEVER been allergic to anything.
Heres the worst part - I am an American living in England and to be seen by an Allergy Doctor, my doctor (GP) has to refer me - The appointment takes 13 + weeks. I have ended up maxing out my credit card to see private allergy doctors. I have tried traditional medicine, alternative etc etc.....They ALL agree that I dont have allergies. I have done ALL the tests....So, I have started to eat as normal and have had no other problems - Other than my throat STAYS swollen ALL the time. I feel like I have food stuck. Yesterday It was so bad I nearly fainted - I didnt know what else to do so I injected myself with my EPIPEN that they gave me when they thought it was allergies. It worked long enough for me to get to my doctors office. She has AGAIN put me on Steriods (5 days) and it is better - not 100% but better. She says that she has referred me to a Ear, throat, nose specialist.......but waiting time is 20+ weeks. This has been going on since June - I have lost the will to live now......My doctor (with her nasty attitude) told me that she thought it was all in my head. The cow! Why is it always in your head when they dont know the answer?? I cussed her out - and later she called me back to apologize. I feel like now I am doing this on my own - Doctor from hell wont help. Anyone else had these symptoms? :?

Did you ever find out what is wrong with you? I have had the same problem for over a year now. I do have allergies to mold. I am 40, and was tested for allergies, and found out I am allergic to a mold that is in all places. Like around damp basements, and water pipes. I just can not imagine that my throat and neck would swell up from an allergy. It is very frustrating. I have had the same problem with doctors here in the United States. It is very emotionally draining. They act like you are crazy or something. I think it is easier for them to say that, then to actually figure out what is wrong with us. They just take our money and don't figure out what is wrong.

I have also had my thyroid checked out, and that keeps coming back ok. I do have an enlarged thyroid on one side, but my T3 and T4 results keep coming back normal.

I was having what I think were like panic attacks, because I did end up having sleep apnea. I am not on CPAP, and when my allergies are not acting up, I do feel better. You may want to check into that. It is usually overlooked when you are female, and not overweight. But it can happen to any of us.

I still have not gotton rid of the swollen neck. It is more swollen on the right side than the left.. It is not my salivary glands neither. So I am told. I did have a soft tissue mri of my neck, and that came back normal.

Anyway, if you do find anything out, I would love to hear back from you. Because I too am at my witts end. It is emotionally draining. I am 40 with a 4 and a half year old son, and worry something is wrong with me every day. My son keeps me going, and I am so thankful to have him. I just want to feel better, so I can be more energetic for him.

hi all.
I have similar type of problem, I had sore throat for a long overdose of antibiotics caused blister in right side of throat, which later cured stopping antibiotics. After this I have been feeling tightness or swelling in right side of throat especially bone which is just after thr ring muscles. It is really irritating and depressive to have throat problem, I am dying day by day thinking I have throat Cancer, I have seen at least 5 EN & Throat specialists all says everything is OK only you have depression, but i feel different right side of throat bone is hard and swelling I dont have pain normally but feel something stucking in throat.
I need help if some one faced similar type of problem.
Regards

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Wow, I really hate this and reading all the post, seems no one or doc can figure this out?
I have all of the above and sort of nail it down a tad bit. First of all campbell's chicken
noodle soup gives me allot of relief for about 4 to 6 hours no idea why. The doc says its
acid reflex so put me on prilosec but I knew it wasn't acid reflex because I had it years
ago. Didn't help a tad bit.
Now before this happen I just started my allergy shots was about 2 months into it, and
also was on flovent hfa 44mcg, astelin, fexofenadine and nasal decongestant pills oh was
also taking zantac150 pills. Once this tightness and gag feeling came I drop and stopped
everything except the fexofenadine pills. I still got all the tightness, and have no problem
breathing just that feeling of choking, that starts near the shoulders and up to the jaw area,
but have no lump like others, ect... But when I got on the computer and started gaming, it gets
intense and my neck just frooze up big time had to lay down and think different (total scared of
course) woke up was a bit better. The systems have to be from stress or anxiety but I been gaming
for many years and nothing I been doing has changed. I not sure if the allergy shots (since they
go up in dose little at a time) cause this but I won't know for I stopped them a week ago. Guess
I have to wait till it's out of my system to really get a clue on it.
Now for the last 3 months I had this pain in my hip left side but no exrays, mris, or bone scans
could find a thing yet to this day (not sure if related). But up to my neck again something did
trigger it, but just like you all I don't know what and again I don't know how to stop it. The
doc wants me to see a throat doc and i'm somewhat against this because it had nothing to do with
the acid reflex that he thought it was. I really don't want to go around to different doc's because
in this day and age docs have to be careful and I do believe they care they just won't admit they
don't know. I just a complete physical and I am in perfect health. This has to be some sort of
anxiety mind related cause, but just so impossible to catch it.
I hope that someone has a cure about this and please it you get better come back here and tell
us. I want to find an answer like all you do. I'm 38 at 140lbs always been this way never changed
in weight or health just allergys. Could the allergy shots triggered this or a simple pain in
another part of your body cause this or just a simple neck strain that ain't healing up right?
Lost as you all are, please help


Now I seen all the doc's except for throat doc. I don't plan too because there's nothing
wrong in the throat that they can do, yea maybe check for cancer ect... But I come accross
alot of information, if I chew gum the pain goes away big time. I'm seeing a chiropractic
and when I leave I'm feeling real good but only for about an hour to 3 hours. I really think
its a pinch nerve somewhere. Reason I still think this is because I developed a pain in
my hip left side about 3 months ago and with all kinds of exrays no one can tell me why,
so I bought a back messager from walgreens and when I use this on my back, my hip hurts
bad, and my throat feels a tad better. So I believe something, somewhere in the back area
has been causing this problem. I thought it was stress but I still don't think it has
to much to do with it but yet I might be wrong. Stress can tighted you up pretty good
without knowning. At work the other day I was at the computer working and was pissed off
about something and bam I tighten up so bad scared the c**p out of me. But now the other
night I was watching TV, no stress no thoughts just totally relax and bam it came on from
the way I was laying down. I switched sides and it went away. This is tricky and I have
talked to others about this and they have been using Celexa for panic attacks ect...
and has helped them, so when they go off it it returns. Now I haven't tried Celexa for I
don't want a pill to sovle a problem I
have to take for life (not just yet last resort) but the doc has me on Alprazolam .25mg 3
a day but I refuse to take them that way. I use 1 at night before I sleep to hopefully
relax me when I sleep and let the mucsles relax. Only on night 3 so it's hard to say.
For right now I chew gum Trident when I feel it coming on and helps.
Yet I do still have the problems and it's gotten better but I so have the tightness
and hot neck with once in a will very small rash each side, that iches. Comes and goes when it
starts hurting and tightening up, so I use Ibuprofen that seems to help. I don't get that choking feeling
near as much as I use too. Still an on going problem but seems to slowing fixing it's self.
Like I say stress and anitxy might play a part roll in this but also a pinch nerve can
also be a part. If I'm on the computer I chew gum since I do alot of gamming it gets intence
and I tighten up back without relizing it. Again stress ect.. but I been gamming go over
8 years day by day and never had this happen. Again this is why I go back to the back area
having playing a part in this problem. put it this way if my left hip hurts with nothing to
show why but messaging my back causing it to hurt more brings me closer to believing it might
be causing my shoulders and neck area to hurt. I know its a guessing game and people on here have had this problem
but haven't come back to say what fix they have done to help them. Which I wish they would of.
Every little thing can be a fix but its hard to compare if you don't come back. The real and only
thing in here thats really help me thinking is that I won't choke to death when that feeling
comes has help me thinking process alot. So in the mean time for those still lokking maybe what I say above
might help. I did by a new bed help the tossing part alot and sheets on the ground in the morning.
The messager on my back has pin pointed the a nerver problem (stress, anexity, pinched or a pinched nerve).
I'm 38 and my phycial is perfect including x-rays blood test ect.. oh yea my doc wanted me to see
a sico doctor, I looked at him and said when I ready to kill myself I'll go but I'm not depressed
maybe lonely but not a freak just yet. I really getting sick of the doc's pushing you off to someone
else because there's no answer. P.S. not acid reflex I seen the gigo man (gastroenterology)

Hey guys.
It seems I have the same tight throat feeling you guys have.
And yes I feel your pain :-( Anyways I found a website that seems to describe the symptoms perfectly, for me at least and the doctor labels it as "Cricopharyngeal Spasm". The url is: http://www.voicedoctor.net/therapy/cps.html

I know this doesn't really give any cures or solutions, but reading it may give you some hope that it's not something more serious.

Take Care.

Hi Folks.. well I am in the same boat as you all.. About 6 weeks ago I had a bit of a sore throat, but it felt like from the outside in. I also told my GP that I felt a swelling sensation in my throat like someone was squeezing it. Went to the ENT specialist, as like most I was a little paranoid. He looked at me, and said, it all looks fine and could be a virus. The feeling kept getting worse, so back to my GP. He did a blood test that came back and showed I was a little on the hypothyroid side. Next was an ultrasound on my thyroid, which showed a 1cm nodule. He prescribed synthroid. The condition in my neck is no better, and I still feel like a lump on the right side, which pushes on my throat.. (no pain) Had a second appt with the ENT, and he did a scope and all was fine to my vocal cords.. hmm.. Today I had an appointment with the Endocrinologist, and she thinks all is fine. (Oh yea, she said most nodules are nothing to worry about, and she did not want to do a biopsy, as it was only 1cm.. I told her that was 5 weeks ago.. (Well they are going to book a CAT scan.. I know I am not imagining this sensation.....

Hey guys,

I have very similar symtoms to yours.

Last year I had chicken pox and after that I had a massive allergy on my legs which lasted about two months. I had red spots with white heads, my legs were swollen and very itchi. Just from knee to ankle. Went to doctor they didn't know what it was, had antibiotics for over a month, lotion for the itchiness but nothing. And then suddlenly one day gradually started to disappear. %-)

Since I had that infection the glands in my throat are swollen, feel my ears tight. Went to doctors several times but nothing, they've mentioned could be a virus but nothing to worry about. Blood test came up clear so I didn't bother.

Now it is getting worse and I am a bit worried, I feel no pain at all, just disconfort and sometimes I get head aches.

I had a blood test done 2 weeks ago and they've checked the liver, kidneys, thyroids, sugar..and everything is normal.

I am going to see my GP on Monday, shes requested a blood sedimentaction rate test..

Let's see what they say, I'm a bit worried thou, I'm 26, look healthy and fell ok, normally the worse deseases are the ones with no syntoms.. :-(

Well I'll be positive and keep you updated.

Hi Regina.

Best of luck with the tests. I had my CT today, but have been reading up on other things that may be causing some of the symptoms perhaps for myself and some of you who have posts in here. You shuld read up on Globus Hysteria. A very interesting condition. I had a Dr. appointment earlier this week, (with someone new), and he did the typical pushing on my throat for thyroid etc. He asked me about my stress levels, which are normally for me fairly high do to work and some life changing events. He suggested that part of my problem may be related to globus. (Let me be honest, I would rather have this condition rather than something else. Keeping my fingers crossed the CT scan comes back fine..).

Have a look into this condition.. best of luch..[/enc]