Ear Throat Pain / Tingliness
Hi All -
I apologize, as I am sure many get annoyed at the threads started for people freaking out about possible warning signs and not being diagnosed, but I wanted to get some feedback and see what you thought my next steps should be. I just returned from an ENT after suffering with one-sided ear and throat pain for the last few weeks. In addition to the ear pain, I also have an enlarged / swollen lymph node on the same side that hurts to touch. I was just given a 10-day medicine and then told to follow up. The doctor also performed a scope and said he didnt see any tumors in the throat or at the base of the tongue. While I am relieved there was no tell-tale sign, it worries me that this pain is only on my right side of my face, which will start to tingle / go numb from time to time.
Are there any recommendations as to how I should follow up with the doctor? Should I ask for an MRI or some other image testing? What about the inlarged lymphnode, is it strange that there is only one that seems to be swollen?
Sorry again if I am jumping the gun. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Comments
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Atypical...
Your situation would be atypical presentation for a tonsil or base of tongue cancer... Usually cancer related lymph nodes don't have any tenderness or pain associated with them. Assuming you've been given an antibiotic I would take it as prescribed and followup with your ENT if things don't calm down. From there, yes, you are likely going to have imaging and a slew of blood tests to start ruling out the dozens of non-cancer related things it could be. One step at a time....
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Thank you, Johnson! Sorryjohnsonbl said:Atypical...
Your situation would be atypical presentation for a tonsil or base of tongue cancer... Usually cancer related lymph nodes don't have any tenderness or pain associated with them. Assuming you've been given an antibiotic I would take it as prescribed and followup with your ENT if things don't calm down. From there, yes, you are likely going to have imaging and a slew of blood tests to start ruling out the dozens of non-cancer related things it could be. One step at a time....
Thank you, Johnson! Sorry about the post, I am just scared. The ear pain and tingling across my jaw and face worries the you-know-what out of me.
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welcome
ETP,
Welcome to the H&N forum, sorry that you are here, but seeing an ENT (usually) puts you ahead of the game (they should know.
I also had a swollen lymph node on my neck, an ulcerated spot on my lower tongue, but no pain whatsoever.
If the swelling and pain do not go away, neither should you. If your ENT is competent he will move in to scans and needle biopsy (maybe). If it persists and you do not get satisfaction from your ENT, look for a second opinion.
No need to apologize, I wish my first trip to the ENT ended on a happier note. Maybe your will. It is not cancer until they say it is cancer.
Matt
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Matt -CivilMatt said:welcome
ETP,
Welcome to the H&N forum, sorry that you are here, but seeing an ENT (usually) puts you ahead of the game (they should know.
I also had a swollen lymph node on my neck, an ulcerated spot on my lower tongue, but no pain whatsoever.
If the swelling and pain do not go away, neither should you. If your ENT is competent he will move in to scans and needle biopsy (maybe). If it persists and you do not get satisfaction from your ENT, look for a second opinion.
No need to apologize, I wish my first trip to the ENT ended on a happier note. Maybe your will. It is not cancer until they say it is cancer.
Matt
Matt -
Sorry to hear about your experience, but thank you for the response and it helps put my mind somewhat at ease that the ENT went ahead and performed the scope - he said there was no ulceration or any sign of a tumor or anything suspicious. All he saw was that the right ear canal looked red/inflammed and he could even see this when performing the trans-nasal endoscopy? The throat pain is annoying, but I will be sure to follow up.
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Hi There
A few years ago I had an enlarged lympn node in my neck (about the side of a golf ball) which was ultimately biopsied and thankfully came back negative. Ultimately i self diagnosed the issue to be stress related. If you have been unusually stressed, have had poor sleep for over 7 days or have gained weight lately my suggestion is that it is likely stress/lack of sleep/lifestyle related.
Unfortunately the lymph node continues to be sensitive when i am under stress (it is now my stress point).
Good luck,
Jeff
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Sorry to hear about yourSuzJ said:next steps
The next step after 10 days of horse pills (as per insurance) is an ultrasound.
After that it's either fine needle biopsy or CT scan.
Thats the way insurance works, sorry.
Good Luck, thats how mine started.
Sorry to hear about your situation, Suz. What tupe of cancer were you ultimately diagnosed with?
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Ended up in the ER yesterday,
Ended up in the ER yesterday, as my pain was getting worse and worse and I became nauscious and sick to my stomach. Antibiotics seem to be taking a toll on my body. Good news is that a CT scan was completed and radiologist didn't see anything suspicious (no lymphnodes or tumor). I guess at this point, if I'm still having issues in a couple days, I'll follow up with the ENT and ask for a needle biopsy?
Thoughts?
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EarThroatPain
Good for you for looking for the answers you need! I will be putting on my "Grandma Hat"... If you were one of mine, I would be telling you I would suspect an infection. You have already ruled out any early signs of cancer. Any infection involving the ear/ear canal is very painful. The lymph nodes are there to filter out infection. Antibiotics are actually not very effective for ear infections, so it could take several days or multiple prescriptions to see results. Follow up with your ENT. As Matt said, you don't have cancer until they tell you...
Best Wishes and hoping you find a very good outcome,
Crystal
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Pain Associated with cancerjohnsonbl said:Atypical...
Your situation would be atypical presentation for a tonsil or base of tongue cancer... Usually cancer related lymph nodes don't have any tenderness or pain associated with them. Assuming you've been given an antibiotic I would take it as prescribed and followup with your ENT if things don't calm down. From there, yes, you are likely going to have imaging and a slew of blood tests to start ruling out the dozens of non-cancer related things it could be. One step at a time....
I am curious Johnsonbl, did a Doctor tell you that cancer related lymph nodes don't have tenderness or pain associated with them? I am asking as I had surgery in 2014 for lymph nodes and one was cancerous. Removed, reappeared in 2016, neck dissection, 20 removed, one cancerous. Did some radiation, just had check-up with ENT one week ago said neck looks fine. However, yesterday I started experiencing pain right below the jaw line. So I am curious if a doctor told you no lymph node pain associated with cancer.
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2nd CT Scan
Hi All -
I am back due to a second CT scan that has me quite scared. I had a CT scan with contrast and most everything seemed to come back good except for one thing. The second impression stated: Effacement of the right vallecular space is asymmetric with the left however there is no discrete mass or inflammatory chagnes and this may be related to retained secretions or presence of lingual tonsil hypertrophy. This is the side that seems hard to swallow on (like I can't move that side of the neck) and I feel like I have lost some hearing too.
The right side is where my ear pain has been and I am now quite scared. I have called the ENT and made an appointment ASAP, as I noticed a lump a couple weeks ago deep in my neck on that side. It doesn't feel like a node and it didn't show up on the CT scan, but I can still feel it in there. I have my appointment tomorrow but am definitely scared and will be until I see the ENT, I am just afraid the scope is missing something.
Sorry to write on here, just needed an outlet to share my emotions.
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Had Fine Needle Biopsy
Had Fine Needle Biopsy completed today. Waiting on results, which should be in by Friday... fingers crossed. The doc noted the hard node, but didn't seem too concerned and we reviewed the CT Scan and he said things looked good there too. I also had a scope down my throat and he said that everything looked good. Throat is closing appropriately, etc. The only thing he seemed to think might be causing this is my right ear is "dull". Meaning the eustachian tube is not closing all the way? I hope he is right, it'll be a long few days.
Major concern is just that the node was hard and didn't really have much pain - but it didn't show up on the CT Scan, so I'd imgaine I caught it early?
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Please follow up with us.EarThroatPain said:Had Fine Needle Biopsy
Had Fine Needle Biopsy completed today. Waiting on results, which should be in by Friday... fingers crossed. The doc noted the hard node, but didn't seem too concerned and we reviewed the CT Scan and he said things looked good there too. I also had a scope down my throat and he said that everything looked good. Throat is closing appropriately, etc. The only thing he seemed to think might be causing this is my right ear is "dull". Meaning the eustachian tube is not closing all the way? I hope he is right, it'll be a long few days.
Major concern is just that the node was hard and didn't really have much pain - but it didn't show up on the CT Scan, so I'd imgaine I caught it early?
Please follow up with us.
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Biopsy came back clean. Butlorijeannj said:Please follow up with us.
Please follow up with us.
Biopsy came back clean. But after reading another response in the other thread (nx), where it was mentioned they had a negative report 3 times, it definitely makes me worried.
Sirry, I confused two users in my original message.
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Having same symptomsEarThroatPain said:Biopsy came back clean. But
Biopsy came back clean. But after reading another response in the other thread (nx), where it was mentioned they had a negative report 3 times, it definitely makes me worried.
Sirry, I confused two users in my original message.
Hi, I clicked on this thread because I am having same symptoms. I am 14 months out for treatment for Base of Tongue cancer, Stage 3. I have a scope done every 3 months. For last 2 scopes I have told my Oncologist that I have a sore spot on left side of throat. Cancer was on right side. So lately swallowing is becoming difficult. I have bouts of ear pain on that side that radiates down into neck and up into head. My face on left side feels weird to touch.My primary thinks maybe my trigeminal neuropathy. I am going for MRI on soft tissue of neck and brain with and w/o contrast. Will let you know what , if anything comes up. Being a cancer patient with BOT cancer , any throat pain gets me thinking recurrence..I am so glad your biopsy came back negative. It was a year of symptoms before I was diagnosed.Stay informed and keep at the doctors. I wish I had. After negative results for thyroid cancer, I sat back and was happy as a pig in you know what. It wasn't untilI had a weird dream where my mother simply said ENT , I know sounds crazy but it is true. Next day I made an appointment with an ENT . He found the cancer.When he showed me the picture on screen of the tumor, I knew then .Good luck and I will let you know what I find out .
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Thanks dtalbotdtalbot1 said:Having same symptoms
Hi, I clicked on this thread because I am having same symptoms. I am 14 months out for treatment for Base of Tongue cancer, Stage 3. I have a scope done every 3 months. For last 2 scopes I have told my Oncologist that I have a sore spot on left side of throat. Cancer was on right side. So lately swallowing is becoming difficult. I have bouts of ear pain on that side that radiates down into neck and up into head. My face on left side feels weird to touch.My primary thinks maybe my trigeminal neuropathy. I am going for MRI on soft tissue of neck and brain with and w/o contrast. Will let you know what , if anything comes up. Being a cancer patient with BOT cancer , any throat pain gets me thinking recurrence..I am so glad your biopsy came back negative. It was a year of symptoms before I was diagnosed.Stay informed and keep at the doctors. I wish I had. After negative results for thyroid cancer, I sat back and was happy as a pig in you know what. It wasn't untilI had a weird dream where my mother simply said ENT , I know sounds crazy but it is true. Next day I made an appointment with an ENT . He found the cancer.When he showed me the picture on screen of the tumor, I knew then .Good luck and I will let you know what I find out .
Thanks for the response! Please keep me posted and good luck with your MRI. I think I will be looking to get one soon, as my symptoms have not gone away.
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I do not want to scare you
I do not want to scare you but they found my cancer only after they surgically removed the swelling lymph node. And they could not see any primary tumor in the scopy, and any of imaging including PET scan. They did diagnostic tonsillectomy, they found it hidden in the cript of a tonsil.So do not give up until you hear that they are %100 sure that you do not have it. Wish you a good luck.
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It took 3 biopsies to find
It took 3 biopsies to find the cancer in my lymph node. It was found with a Core Needle Biopsy performed around the edges of the node and NOT in the center where it was necrotic. The other two procedures took samples from the center which came back negative. I knew I had cancer from the beginning. It just took a long time for them to get a positive result. My primary is on the base of my tongue and spread to my left lymph node. I'm 2 months out from 35 radiation treatments. Just had a CAT scan and nodes look good but some concern about BOT. Plan to have PET scan in December. Good luck to you. Follow your gut feelings about this.
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Thanks for following up withEarThroatPain said:Biopsy came back clean. But
Biopsy came back clean. But after reading another response in the other thread (nx), where it was mentioned they had a negative report 3 times, it definitely makes me worried.
Sirry, I confused two users in my original message.
Thanks for following up with us. Just wanted to state my husband had the same exact symptoms with the pain in ear and swallowing. Worse pain he has ever had so I am told, worse than the radiation and chemo is going through right now. But he had no swollen lymph node at time of MRI.
Family doctor told him TMJ. Nope. I wasn't buying it. Made an appointment for ENT who ordered an MRI of head and neck. MRI did show base of tongue cancer on Aug 23rd, 2017. Was at Thomas Jefferson Aug 28th, 2017 scheduling a biopsy. SCC of base of tongue, two lymph nodes. Thank goodness limited to that area. 11 more radiation treatments and 1 chemo to go. So far so good.
Just stay informed, alert and a little demanding if need be. We were determined to work fast as a team and fight this thing with all we got.
Dont be fooled by others, you should know what your body is telling you.
Good luck.
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Hello it is important to remind him or office or both know you have a right to timeliness of referral to ENT as well as elimination of the risk that it could be what it may appear to be let them know it is alarming to you but don't let time get away from you because your Dr should see bigger picture. Our original primary care Dr panicked because of Covid an did a virtual when he had a small consistent cough for months. He then started having an infection in throat. Dr did a virtual just as he was gassin up to go. So he did a virtual but they called for payment 2 days before. He should have felt his glands did blood work and written down any of the connected dots but he didn't until a few days later after taking zytromax pack boom the gland closest to thyroid came out like a 2nd Adams apple. Long story short he sent us in so many directions to get it daignosed in 3 counties. It was something that once diagnosed he packed up and left the statel.
The only thing with my guys gland was that it was not painful and was just there he could move it around and that in itself meant something
Get another opinion and keep walking by faith
Prayers to you friend
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