Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Having Headache, Nausea, Sore And Swollen Throat With White Patches. What Am I Suffering From?
Question: I went to my dr today with symptoms of sore throat, worst body aches of my life, terrible headaches, nausea, and extreme fatigue. When it started Saturday my throat was swollen and red. By Sunday I had the white pustules on the sides of my throat common with strep and mono. By Monday the exact places that the day before we're the pockets were white circles but not bumps- red in middles. Went to the dr at 8 this morning and no strep and he said its just a virus I asked him to culture it because I feel like its an infection. However- I've been sickly my whole life (diagnosed hypothyroid at 12, papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis last XXXXXXX gerd, migraines)- and I've been going to the same dr since I was 7. So since I've always been sick he dismisses me a lot. He treats me without ever giving me a diagnosis or with vague diagnosis and I just know my body and I knew it wasn't strep before I even went today, I can tell. It's not a step pain even if the symptoms would point most to assume that off the bat. It's now 6 pm and I look at my throat and it is COVERED in red spots that appear bloody, they are on the back of my throat, my tonsils, and all over the roof of my mouth and I'm in an extreme amount of pain. I have never in all my years of being sick had these types of spots, nor have I seen this level of morphisis- from pockets, to the white circles with red center, to red bloody looking spots. I wish I could upload pictures here but I am really freaking out. Mainly due to the fact that I have no clue what to think because I've never experienced it. Should I go back to the dr? He gave me a steroid shot, a steroid pack, and a cough syrup because he said my lungs sound pretty bad. My neck is also swollen really badly, visibly. Under my chin, by my throat, and even going down to my total thyroidectomy scar. HELP
Hi ,
Thank you for your query.
I do understand your concern.I deeply empathasize.
My working diagnosis would be herpengina.
Herpangina, also called mouth blisters, is the name of a painful mouth infection caused by coxsackieviruses. Usually, herpangina is produced by one particular strain of coxsackie virus A.
Symptoms include sudden fever with sore throat, headache, loss of appetite, and often neck pain.
Within two days of onset an average of four or five (but sometimes up to twenty) 1 to 2 mm diameter grayish lumps form and develop into vesicles with red surrounds, and over 24 hours these become shallow ulcers, rarely larger than 5 mm diameter, that heal in one to seven days.
These lesions most often appear on the tonsillar pillars (adjacent to the tonsils), but also on the soft palate, tonsils, uvula, or tongue.
Treatment is usually supportive only, as the disease is self-limiting and usually runs its course in less than a week.
Drinking cold beverages, especially milk and eating ice cream are recommended. Hot and high acidity beverages are to be avoided.
Very effective antiviral drugs exist based on acyclovir substance for systemic treatment.
Steroids maybe avoided.
Please gargle with a medicated gargle and use regular mouthwash after food.Kindly consult a good ENT doctor.
If you have any further queries you are free to consult me.
Hope this answers your query.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Have a nice day.
Thank you for your query.
I do understand your concern.I deeply empathasize.
My working diagnosis would be herpengina.
Herpangina, also called mouth blisters, is the name of a painful mouth infection caused by coxsackieviruses. Usually, herpangina is produced by one particular strain of coxsackie virus A.
Symptoms include sudden fever with sore throat, headache, loss of appetite, and often neck pain.
Within two days of onset an average of four or five (but sometimes up to twenty) 1 to 2 mm diameter grayish lumps form and develop into vesicles with red surrounds, and over 24 hours these become shallow ulcers, rarely larger than 5 mm diameter, that heal in one to seven days.
These lesions most often appear on the tonsillar pillars (adjacent to the tonsils), but also on the soft palate, tonsils, uvula, or tongue.
Treatment is usually supportive only, as the disease is self-limiting and usually runs its course in less than a week.
Drinking cold beverages, especially milk and eating ice cream are recommended. Hot and high acidity beverages are to be avoided.
Very effective antiviral drugs exist based on acyclovir substance for systemic treatment.
Steroids maybe avoided.
Please gargle with a medicated gargle and use regular mouthwash after food.Kindly consult a good ENT doctor.
If you have any further queries you are free to consult me.
Hope this answers your query.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Have a nice day.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
