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What Causes Burning Sensation In Throat?
Question: Hello,
I submitted a question last week and wated to get one more opion/advice as i wait for my referral to go through.
I havw been having a burning sensation in my throat for 3 1/2 weeks but i am not sick . Its in my lower middle throat and comes up to my tonsils. A week ago my vocal cords hurt for a week and talkinmg was quite painful or more of an annoyance. It felt as if i talked a lot but i hardly did. If that makes sense. A week and half ago i went to my promary doctor and she looked at my throat and said it looked normal, felt my neck - nothing swollen. No temp. She felt it was gerd/reflux related. Prescribed be 20mg of nexium to take once a day on a empty stomach. So far no relief and it goes all day long. It does not wake me up.
I am a paranoid person and alwayz think the worst. I asked the doctor if she feels if it is throat cancef and she said no way. But with it lsting so long and no relief i am very worried. No pain swallowing or eating.
I called the doctor for a referral fir an ent and waiting for it to go through.
But what do you think?
I submitted a question last week and wated to get one more opion/advice as i wait for my referral to go through.
I havw been having a burning sensation in my throat for 3 1/2 weeks but i am not sick . Its in my lower middle throat and comes up to my tonsils. A week ago my vocal cords hurt for a week and talkinmg was quite painful or more of an annoyance. It felt as if i talked a lot but i hardly did. If that makes sense. A week and half ago i went to my promary doctor and she looked at my throat and said it looked normal, felt my neck - nothing swollen. No temp. She felt it was gerd/reflux related. Prescribed be 20mg of nexium to take once a day on a empty stomach. So far no relief and it goes all day long. It does not wake me up.
I am a paranoid person and alwayz think the worst. I asked the doctor if she feels if it is throat cancef and she said no way. But with it lsting so long and no relief i am very worried. No pain swallowing or eating.
I called the doctor for a referral fir an ent and waiting for it to go through.
But what do you think?
Brief Answer:
It is not cancer...It seems to be LPR...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for posting the query
Burning sensation in the throat could be due to either nasal block or acid reflux.
During nasal block one tends to open the mouth and breathe, this drains away all the moisture from the throat making it irritable.
Similarly, when there is reflux of acid from the stomach into the throat, the acid burns the mucosa of the throat leading to inflammation. The inflamed mucosa causes irritation and burning sensation in the throat. This condition is known as laryngo-pharyngeal reflux (LPR).
My suggestions to you are:
1. Drink plenty of warm water, this re-hydrates the tissues and reduces the irritation.
2. Steam inhalation, if you are having nasal block.
3.LPR is generally treated with a combination of the
following:
a. Dietary Modifications
Avoid or minimize reflux triggers within the diet:
• Alcohol/smoking
• Fried/Fatty Foods
• Spicy Foods
• Tomato/Citrus based foods
• Caffeinated/Carbonated Beverages
b. life style changes
• Eat Smaller Meals
• Avoid Eating Within 2-3 Hours of Bedtime or Lying Down
• Avoid stress
c. Combination of medicines like proton pump inhibitors (nexium) and a prokinetic (domperidone). 20mg of Nexium will not be beneficial, you need to start with 40mg and use it for few weeks. Along with that, you need to follow the above measures to get complete relief.
I can assure you, the symptoms described by you are not the features of throat cancer.
Hope this answers your query; I will be available for the follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
It is not cancer...It seems to be LPR...
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for posting the query
Burning sensation in the throat could be due to either nasal block or acid reflux.
During nasal block one tends to open the mouth and breathe, this drains away all the moisture from the throat making it irritable.
Similarly, when there is reflux of acid from the stomach into the throat, the acid burns the mucosa of the throat leading to inflammation. The inflamed mucosa causes irritation and burning sensation in the throat. This condition is known as laryngo-pharyngeal reflux (LPR).
My suggestions to you are:
1. Drink plenty of warm water, this re-hydrates the tissues and reduces the irritation.
2. Steam inhalation, if you are having nasal block.
3.LPR is generally treated with a combination of the
following:
a. Dietary Modifications
Avoid or minimize reflux triggers within the diet:
• Alcohol/smoking
• Fried/Fatty Foods
• Spicy Foods
• Tomato/Citrus based foods
• Caffeinated/Carbonated Beverages
b. life style changes
• Eat Smaller Meals
• Avoid Eating Within 2-3 Hours of Bedtime or Lying Down
• Avoid stress
c. Combination of medicines like proton pump inhibitors (nexium) and a prokinetic (domperidone). 20mg of Nexium will not be beneficial, you need to start with 40mg and use it for few weeks. Along with that, you need to follow the above measures to get complete relief.
I can assure you, the symptoms described by you are not the features of throat cancer.
Hope this answers your query; I will be available for the follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
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. Ashwin Bhandari
Answered by
Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty
Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist
Practicing since :2001
Answered : 2540 Questions
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