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Suggest Treatment For Pain And Discomfort In The Throat

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Posted on Thu, 13 Apr 2017
Question: I have a blocked ear that sometimes hurts and discomfort in my throat both on the right side only. Saw ENT who said they only could see some congestion when looking up my right nostril and decided to put the camera down the left side. My nose doesn't feel blocked to me and I have no sinus pain. She said saw nothing else and to take nasonex (momenta furoate) and anti histamine but they don't seem to be doing anything. Can they see all the way along my eustation tube or could it be blocked up higher? Can congestion in the nose cause throat discomfort?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Yes,congestion in the nose can cause blockage of ear and throat discomfort

Detailed Answer:
Hi,thank you for posting your query on health care magic.

I have gone through your query and can understand your concern.

Yes,congestion in the nose can cause blockage of ear and throat discomfort .During endoscopy of the nose,just the opening of the Eustachian tube can be seen.
The Eustachian tube may get blocked anywhere along its length due to congestion in the nose,which may lead to ear blockage.
Congestion in the nose may lead to posterior nasal drip(nasal discharge flows back in the throat) leading to irritation in the throat.

You may find relief by taking the following medications along with the Medicines prescribed by your doctor:
Oral decongestant like Phenylephrine with Nasal decongestant drops like Oxymetazoline(take decongestant only if you are not suffering from hypertension),
Mucolytic like Ambroxol,
Analgesic with Anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen with Antacid like Rantac.

Also do warm saline gargles,Drink lots of warm fluids.Do steam inhalation.Avoid cold food and dust.

Hope this answers your question.I would be happy to answer if you have any follow-up questions.take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Riddhi Shah (10 hours later)
Thank you. If I have a post nasal drip would this be visible when my ENT looked in my throat? Or cause something visible?

Can you have sinus congestion without any pain or symptoms on your face under your eyes?

My throat does not hurt as such - and no cough - just feels tight or somehow different to the other side. Could it be some sort of referred pain?

Regards

Also - would anti biotics be a solution? I've taken a decongestant nasal spray but it has made no difference. Could it be infection but no fever?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (13 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Seems less role of Antibiotics

Detailed Answer:
Hi,thank you for your follow-up question.

Post nasal drip is not continuous.It is intermittent.So,when your doctor did the examination,it may or may not be seen.It may be seen as mucous threads in the back of your throat.

If you have congestion in the sinuses,then you will feel symptoms like facial pain,headache,etc.Your doctor has found congestion in the nose.

Referred pain in the ear might be due to due to following causes:
Vth cranial nerve-dental, oral cavity, temporomandibular joint disorders
IXth cranial nerve -tonsil, base of tongue, elongated styloid process
Xth cranial nerve-Voice box,esophagus
From C2 ,C2 and C3 cervical nerves, pain may be referred from the scalp areas.

If there is bacterial infection,then there would be symptoms like Pus discharge from nose or in the throat,severe throat pain causing difficulty in swallowing,high grade fever(more than 101 degree Fahrenheit),etc which is not in your case.So there seems less role of Antibiotics.
It might be a viral infection causing nasal congestion leading to throat pain and ear blockage.

One referred pain is due to Enlarged Styloid process causing pain in the throat referred to the ear.It is a small bone underneath your tonsil,which if get enlarged may cause irritation of the nerve leading to one sided throat pain referred to ear.
It can be diagnosed by having an X ray skull-Towne view or even felt by the doctor on touching the tonsil region.

So,If there is no improvement with the above suggested medicines,then I would advise you to consult again an ENT consultant-to rule out Enlarged Styloid process bone,and to have an Endoscopic examination of the throat and Voice box to rule out any cause.

Hope this answers your question.Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Riddhi Shah (1 hour later)
Thank you very much for such a detailed answer.

If it was enlarged sty loud process bone would that have been seen by the doctor when she put the camera down my throat or do you need to have a cats an /MRI to confirm it?

What causes that to happen and how is it treated?

Thank you once again.

I also sometimes get an ache at the back of my head ( behind my ear), also on the right side. Same side as my blocked ear and throat pain. It doesn't occur every day but I feel it at least a couple of times a week.

It doesn't feel like a normal head ache and could be nerve pain. I feel it is somehow linked to my ear and throat.

Would enlarged styled process pain cause this do you think?

Thank you.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (16 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Styloid process enlargement is diagnosed by X ray and may be palpated

Detailed Answer:
Hi,thank you for your follow-up question.

Styloid process enlargement will generally require radiological test like X ray for the diagnosis.The Doctor may be able to feel the enlarged Styloid process in the region of tonsil.It is not seen on endoscopic examination.

Generally,styloid process enlargement does not lead to referred pain in the back of your head.

Styloid process enlargement occurs due to the calcification of a ligament(stylo-hyoid).It may lead to irritation of Glossopharyngeal nerve leading to neuralgic pain in the throat and ear.

Medical management of Enlarged Styloid process casing neuralgic pain includes the following:
Analgesics -like Ibuprofen
Anticonvulsants -like Carbamazepine
Antidepressant -like Amytriptyline
Local infiltration with steroids or long-acting local anesthetic agents.

In cases not responding with medical treatment and in case of severe pain,surgical removal of enlarged styloid process may be needed.

Hope this answers your question.Take care.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Riddhi Shah (45 minutes later)
Thank you

Could the congestion in my right nostril be causing the ear ache and subsequently head pain at the back of my head in the morning behind my right ear?

If I take ibuprofen the head pain goes away.

Regards

doctor
Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (16 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Yes,nasal congestion could be a cause of your symptoms.

You may get relief by taking the medicines as advised in the previous answer.

Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Riddhi Shah (36 hours later)
Hi Doctor

Could I have carotidynia? The spot in my neck that is tender seems aligned and seems can effect ear and head.

What could check this? Would it have been picked up in my recent thyroid ultrasounds?

What would be the treatment if this condition?

Regards
doctor
Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (18 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please see the answer

Detailed Answer:
Hi,thank you for your follow-up reply.

Yes,you might be suffering from Carotidyna looking at your symptoms.

USG helps to find out.But there is a possibility,that while doing USG for thyroid,more focus would be on Thyroid gland.You may repeat the USG with focus on the neck blood vessels.Also you can have blood test which may show rise in inflammatory markers like ESR and CRP(C-Reactive protein)

Carotidynia is a rare syndrome characterised by neck pain in the region of the carotid bifurcation(Carotid is a blood vessel in the both lateral aspect of neck).It appears to be an inflammatory process involving the carotid wall.
It is an idiopathic neck pain syndrome associated with tenderness over the carotid bifurcation without structural abnormality.

Clinical presentation
Patients with carotidynia present with unilateral neck pain in the region of the carotid bifurcation. The pain typically tends to be dull and throbbing in nature, continuous, and usually localised over the carotid bifurcation, although may radiate to the ipsilateral mandibular, cheek, eye, or ear

Ultrasound, CT, MRI shows typical features of carotidynia.

Treatment :
Resolution can be expedited with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids .

Hope this answers your question.Take care.
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. Kampana
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Riddhi Shah

ENT Specialist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 533 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Pain And Discomfort In The Throat

Brief Answer: Yes,congestion in the nose can cause blockage of ear and throat discomfort Detailed Answer: Hi,thank you for posting your query on health care magic. I have gone through your query and can understand your concern. Yes,congestion in the nose can cause blockage of ear and throat discomfort .During endoscopy of the nose,just the opening of the Eustachian tube can be seen. The Eustachian tube may get blocked anywhere along its length due to congestion in the nose,which may lead to ear blockage. Congestion in the nose may lead to posterior nasal drip(nasal discharge flows back in the throat) leading to irritation in the throat. You may find relief by taking the following medications along with the Medicines prescribed by your doctor: Oral decongestant like Phenylephrine with Nasal decongestant drops like Oxymetazoline(take decongestant only if you are not suffering from hypertension), Mucolytic like Ambroxol, Analgesic with Anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen with Antacid like Rantac. Also do warm saline gargles,Drink lots of warm fluids.Do steam inhalation.Avoid cold food and dust. Hope this answers your question.I would be happy to answer if you have any follow-up questions.take care.