Hello For About 3-4 Weeks Now I Have Had This

Posted on Wed, 14 Oct 2020

Question: Hello for about 3-4 weeks now I have had this dry, sometimes sticky sensation in the back of my throat(behind my adam's apple/slightly below it) accompanying some irritating scratchipness.

My voice has also been hoarse during this whole time. Whenever I would speak I feel like I have to cough or swallow.

Sometimes the left side of my neck also hurts, but it is not as persistent as the constant feeling of something dry/sticky like mucus in back of my throat.

I have been taking Claritin most of the time to no avail.

Any feedback would be great thank you for your time.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rajat Basak (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hii. Welcome to the healthcare services. It seems that you may be having la

Detailed Answer:
Hii. Welcome to the healthcare services. It seems that you may be having laryngopharyngeal reflux or acid reflux or chronic pharyngitis. It is mainly due to allergic inflammation of the pharynx due to acid reflux or due to any viral or bacterial inflammation. So take pantoprazole or Rabeprazole 40 mg before food for 6 week. Take warm saline alternate with betadine gargle. Drink more water. Take less tea, coffee. Sleep after 2 hours of dinner. Avoid spicy food, smoking and alcohol. No need to worry. Lead a stress free life. After the covid pandemic is over you can consult an ent surgeon and if the symptoms aggravate or there is any change in voice, difficulty in swallowing or breathing difficulty, you can have an endoscopy of the larynx to get a picture of the larynx. But I don't think you need it. Take the above medications. Review if you have any queries.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rajat Basak (31 minutes later)

Could stress/anxiety have brought upon the symptoms? I did deal with a great amount of workplace stress before the throat and voice problems begun.

I appreciate your feedback tremendously, my other question is Prilosec OTC(Omeprazole) an effective treatment for the recommended 6 weeks? I can't get pantoprazole or Rabeprazole 40 mg without a prescription I think, so wondering if any over the counter alternatives are effective to use.

Thank you again Dr. Basak

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rajat Basak (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hii. Stress or anxiety can be cause of the above symptoms. You can take ome

Detailed Answer:
Hii. Stress or anxiety can be cause of the above symptoms. You can take omeprazole also instead of pantoprazole. Follow the above advice and review after 6 week. Do regular nasal breathing exercises, yoga or running.

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. Prasad