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What Causes Throat Pain After Swallowing A Fish Bone?
Question: Went to ER on Friday, complaining of small fish bone stuck in back of throat to maybe splintered. Thy could see nothing and told me if there is a fish bone there , my body would get rid of it or absorbe it. I have to follow up if with ENT if pain persists in a week. Today, my throat pain seemed to have gotten worse. Is this normal or is it due to maybe eating normal food ( which is painful to eat ). Even water hurts when I swallow. I checked my temperature today and it s normal. So far 2 days and still in pain.......any other suggestions? I did see a ENT specialist at the emergency room and he did not see or felt anything. The pain location seems at the left side in the back of the throat near the jaw area. Should I only drink liquids in the meantime?
Brief Answer:
Self care & expert guidance SOS
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
Thanks for query.
I do understand your anxiety.
-pain in the throat can be due to varied causes. Small fish bone stuck in the throat is one of them for sure BUT even if it is very small your ENT would have been able to pick it up for sure. Negative report by your ENT rules it out.
- Secondly tiny fish bone if stuck in the throat generally gets absorbed or forms fibrosis around it {normal body reaction}. this prevents any further damage to the throat mucosa {inner lining}.
- Thirdly, the fish bone might have been swallowed down in sotmach. It had caused friction to the mucus membrane of throat-giving the feeling of being still stuck there.
*In your case - I would think of few other causes like - Infection at the throat { secondary to mucosal injury by the bone piece/viral or bacterial - viral is the most common}/ allergy/ reflux disease.
*I am happy that there is no fever - It rules out infection. the feeling of pain can also be due to inflammation from stuck bone {which has been removed or absorbed by the body}.
*Next step - Few investigations like blood tests/ throat swab and upper GI scopy should help. Till then - Motrin, Benadryl should help. Warm water gargles {with pinch of salt}, hot soups should help too. Have balanced diet, adequate fluid/ avoid alcohol, smoking or spicy food. Avoid any known allergens if any.
*Few signs should prompt immediate medical help - difficulty in breathing/ sudden increase in severity of pain/ high grade fever.
Please do not worry.
I hope the answer is helpful to you. any further query is welcome.
Thanks.
Self care & expert guidance SOS
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
Thanks for query.
I do understand your anxiety.
-pain in the throat can be due to varied causes. Small fish bone stuck in the throat is one of them for sure BUT even if it is very small your ENT would have been able to pick it up for sure. Negative report by your ENT rules it out.
- Secondly tiny fish bone if stuck in the throat generally gets absorbed or forms fibrosis around it {normal body reaction}. this prevents any further damage to the throat mucosa {inner lining}.
- Thirdly, the fish bone might have been swallowed down in sotmach. It had caused friction to the mucus membrane of throat-giving the feeling of being still stuck there.
*In your case - I would think of few other causes like - Infection at the throat { secondary to mucosal injury by the bone piece/viral or bacterial - viral is the most common}/ allergy/ reflux disease.
*I am happy that there is no fever - It rules out infection. the feeling of pain can also be due to inflammation from stuck bone {which has been removed or absorbed by the body}.
*Next step - Few investigations like blood tests/ throat swab and upper GI scopy should help. Till then - Motrin, Benadryl should help. Warm water gargles {with pinch of salt}, hot soups should help too. Have balanced diet, adequate fluid/ avoid alcohol, smoking or spicy food. Avoid any known allergens if any.
*Few signs should prompt immediate medical help - difficulty in breathing/ sudden increase in severity of pain/ high grade fever.
Please do not worry.
I hope the answer is helpful to you. any further query is welcome.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thanks,still in pain and today is day 3.Will make an appointment with the ENT ASAP, since today there are closed due to the memorial holiday. Please note, yesterday it felt better when I had taken some throat lozenges and the pain seemed to have subsided for a while, however as soon as I ate dinner, the pain returned and now the lozenges don't seem to work. My question is, how long does take for the pain to go away (until I see the ENT) and why did the throat lozenges stop working, as it gave me some relief. (Dinner yesterday was some pasta, nothing to hard to digest, down to soup). I looked in the back of my throat and cant see anything, no bone or scrapes. Does pain usually last this long, it's becoming exhausting.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Throat pain without infection goes within 5 days.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
I understand your concern.
* Throat lozenges dissolve slowly in mouth to sooth & lubricate throat- thus giving temporary relief to pain& cough. It does not act for inflammation. It was not effective due to increased untreated inflammation..
* The cause of pain here here is inflammation due to fish bone. The signs of inflammation are redness, sometimes tiny abrasions & pain.
* Longer the inflammation remains,more the chances of it's aggravation & infection.
* In case you find the pain unbearable,consulting ENT specialist is better, who may insert an endoscope to see for lodged fish bone.
* Till then please continue -
-Hot saline gargles,
- Tab Ibuprofen 400 mg twice a day after food,
- Tab levocetrizine at bed time
(They will help nature in resolving inflammation. Usually it takes 5 days time to resolve,in absence of infection.)
- Non spicy, non irritant, warm food. Avoid allergens.
Hope, this serves you.I will be happy to help in case of any other follow up query.
Thank you.
Throat pain without infection goes within 5 days.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
I understand your concern.
* Throat lozenges dissolve slowly in mouth to sooth & lubricate throat- thus giving temporary relief to pain& cough. It does not act for inflammation. It was not effective due to increased untreated inflammation..
* The cause of pain here here is inflammation due to fish bone. The signs of inflammation are redness, sometimes tiny abrasions & pain.
* Longer the inflammation remains,more the chances of it's aggravation & infection.
* In case you find the pain unbearable,consulting ENT specialist is better, who may insert an endoscope to see for lodged fish bone.
* Till then please continue -
-Hot saline gargles,
- Tab Ibuprofen 400 mg twice a day after food,
- Tab levocetrizine at bed time
(They will help nature in resolving inflammation. Usually it takes 5 days time to resolve,in absence of infection.)
- Non spicy, non irritant, warm food. Avoid allergens.
Hope, this serves you.I will be happy to help in case of any other follow up query.
Thank you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thanks,,,,I fail to mentioned that I have acid reflex and take medication for it......could this be the issue? I noticed that I had taken some XXXXXXX Seltzer for an upset stomach and the pain had gotten worse and it also seems to get worse at night when I sleep (lying down). The pain feels like burning sensation or sometimes pinches.
Brief Answer:
Acid reflux can cause throat inflammtion & pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX
Thanks for the added information of your health status.
* Acid reflux itself bring about throat inflammation& feeling of something stuck in throat.( see first answer.)
*Alkaseltzer can have adverse effectin form of allergy or heart burn with stomach upset,which in turn can trigger acid reflux -thus exaggarating your symptoms.
* The pain being exaggarated in lying down position again favors acid reflux as a causative factor.
* The pain with burnning & pinching in between ,suggests involvement of nerve supplying throat .
Though the treatment for inflammation & infection won't change,it has to be accompaned by drugs to control acid reflux & nervetonic ( vitamin B12) after pin pointing the diagnosis.
considering all the points, I would advise you to consult-
- A Gasteroenterologist for managing acid reflux along with an ENT specialist ( for excluding/ treating throat infection after examination/investigations )
Till then you can continue the self care as suggested earlier ,only addition being-
addition of antacid like Ranitidine 150 mg three times a day,
avoiding spicy/oily /irritant food,
avoiding immediate sleep after eating,
sleep in a propped up position.
I hope, you found the answer informative & helpful. Any further query, I will be happy to help.
thanks.
Acid reflux can cause throat inflammtion & pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX
Thanks for the added information of your health status.
* Acid reflux itself bring about throat inflammation& feeling of something stuck in throat.( see first answer.)
*Alkaseltzer can have adverse effectin form of allergy or heart burn with stomach upset,which in turn can trigger acid reflux -thus exaggarating your symptoms.
* The pain being exaggarated in lying down position again favors acid reflux as a causative factor.
* The pain with burnning & pinching in between ,suggests involvement of nerve supplying throat .
Though the treatment for inflammation & infection won't change,it has to be accompaned by drugs to control acid reflux & nervetonic ( vitamin B12) after pin pointing the diagnosis.
considering all the points, I would advise you to consult-
- A Gasteroenterologist for managing acid reflux along with an ENT specialist ( for excluding/ treating throat infection after examination/investigations )
Till then you can continue the self care as suggested earlier ,only addition being-
addition of antacid like Ranitidine 150 mg three times a day,
avoiding spicy/oily /irritant food,
avoiding immediate sleep after eating,
sleep in a propped up position.
I hope, you found the answer informative & helpful. Any further query, I will be happy to help.
thanks.
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
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