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Suggest Treatment For Red Inflamed Lump On The Back Of Throat
Brief Answer:
Surgical intervention needed.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through the image and indeed it looks concerning to me. A cyst is a fluid filled structure. Benign means non cancerous growth. So, the thing that you can see is a fluid filled non-cancerous growth. However, it is causing obstructive symptoms like snoring and difficulty in swallowing and hence it needs to be removed surgically.
Regards
Surgical intervention needed.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through the image and indeed it looks concerning to me. A cyst is a fluid filled structure. Benign means non cancerous growth. So, the thing that you can see is a fluid filled non-cancerous growth. However, it is causing obstructive symptoms like snoring and difficulty in swallowing and hence it needs to be removed surgically.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Wow, that's what I thought, it could be a lot worse I guess. How much would an operation cost (a rough estimate) and could it be done on an outpatient basis?
Would Blue Cross, Blue Shield Federal Health Benefits cover it, or would I have to pay the whole thing out of pocket?
And thanks for the medical advice, its a load off my mind.
Would Blue Cross, Blue Shield Federal Health Benefits cover it, or would I have to pay the whole thing out of pocket?
And thanks for the medical advice, its a load off my mind.
Brief Answer:
Surgical intervention needed.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
The cost would vary on a number of factors including where you decide to get it done. It is not expected to be done on outpatient basis. Blue Cross, Blue Shield Federal Health Benefits should cover for it and you would probably not need to pay for it from your pocket.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries.
Regards
Surgical intervention needed.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
The cost would vary on a number of factors including where you decide to get it done. It is not expected to be done on outpatient basis. Blue Cross, Blue Shield Federal Health Benefits should cover for it and you would probably not need to pay for it from your pocket.
Feel free to write back in case of further queries.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr. Saha,
Well, here the latest: My family doctor referred me to an ENT who, frankly, scared the living daylights out of me. She immediately diagnosed it as oropharyngeal cancer and provided me with the most pessimistic prognosis she could think of, totally devoid of any optimism whatsoever.
According to her, lumps of this type and location are malignant 9 times out of 10, and she made immediate preparations for a tracheotomy should the lump suddenly grow and cut off my breathing! I think she was overly dramatic and went way overboard (other than snoring, my breathing hasn't been affected).
From what I've read and heard, these lumps are mostly benign and may be fueled by a virus (it's a fact that I have had a bad cold off and on for the last month or so). My temperature last Friday in the doctors office was a bit over 100 degrees, and it may account for swollen lymph nodes on the left side of my head (I've had swollen lymph nodes frequently on both sides of my neck when I've had a cold or the flu, so it doesn't alarm me as much as it might).
Looking at it today, I see that the lump is not as prominent as before. It is no longer a large, angry looking, cherry red lump that made it painful to swallow, and its color is the same as the surrounding area of my mouth.
On the positive side, the ENT did schedule me for a CT scan later that day (the results were sent to her over the weekend), and I have an appointment with her Tuesday morning for a biopsy. She'll tell me the results of the CT scan at that time.
Here's my follow up question(s): What's your experience with these kinds of growths? Are they mostly benign or malignant (and what's the percentage)? Could this be associated with my ongoing cold or a bacterial infection or virus of some kind?
Given the ENT's behavior last Friday, I don't have a great deal of trust in her interpretation of the results. I don't want to believe that her diagnosis is driven by an opportunity to make a lot of money, but I will admit the thought has crossed my mind.
Well, here the latest: My family doctor referred me to an ENT who, frankly, scared the living daylights out of me. She immediately diagnosed it as oropharyngeal cancer and provided me with the most pessimistic prognosis she could think of, totally devoid of any optimism whatsoever.
According to her, lumps of this type and location are malignant 9 times out of 10, and she made immediate preparations for a tracheotomy should the lump suddenly grow and cut off my breathing! I think she was overly dramatic and went way overboard (other than snoring, my breathing hasn't been affected).
From what I've read and heard, these lumps are mostly benign and may be fueled by a virus (it's a fact that I have had a bad cold off and on for the last month or so). My temperature last Friday in the doctors office was a bit over 100 degrees, and it may account for swollen lymph nodes on the left side of my head (I've had swollen lymph nodes frequently on both sides of my neck when I've had a cold or the flu, so it doesn't alarm me as much as it might).
Looking at it today, I see that the lump is not as prominent as before. It is no longer a large, angry looking, cherry red lump that made it painful to swallow, and its color is the same as the surrounding area of my mouth.
On the positive side, the ENT did schedule me for a CT scan later that day (the results were sent to her over the weekend), and I have an appointment with her Tuesday morning for a biopsy. She'll tell me the results of the CT scan at that time.
Here's my follow up question(s): What's your experience with these kinds of growths? Are they mostly benign or malignant (and what's the percentage)? Could this be associated with my ongoing cold or a bacterial infection or virus of some kind?
Given the ENT's behavior last Friday, I don't have a great deal of trust in her interpretation of the results. I don't want to believe that her diagnosis is driven by an opportunity to make a lot of money, but I will admit the thought has crossed my mind.
Brief Answer:
Surgery needs to be done fast.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I understand your concern. Let us not speculate on whether the growth is benign or malignant. The fact is that it needs to be excised without delay. I would how for the best and prepare for the worse. I would perhaps have preferred an MRI over CT. I would perhaps have preferred an intra-operative frozen section biopsy rather than a prior biopsy as suggested. But I would not prefer any delay, not even the time taken for the biopsy reports to arrive (about a week).
A rapid growth occurs in case of malignancy. If that has not been the case, it's perhaps benign. A malignant tumor before it has had the opportunity to spread if excised with a clear margin is cured 100% without any sequel. If not, things are already out of hand.
Whatever be it, do not delay the surgery.
Regards
Surgery needs to be done fast.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I understand your concern. Let us not speculate on whether the growth is benign or malignant. The fact is that it needs to be excised without delay. I would how for the best and prepare for the worse. I would perhaps have preferred an MRI over CT. I would perhaps have preferred an intra-operative frozen section biopsy rather than a prior biopsy as suggested. But I would not prefer any delay, not even the time taken for the biopsy reports to arrive (about a week).
A rapid growth occurs in case of malignancy. If that has not been the case, it's perhaps benign. A malignant tumor before it has had the opportunity to spread if excised with a clear margin is cured 100% without any sequel. If not, things are already out of hand.
Whatever be it, do not delay the surgery.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dr. Saha,
Okay, understood. It has to be eliminated ASAP. But how? Cryogenically? By lasers? Or by way of more traditional methods, like cutting it out with a scalpel?
How would you gain access to this relatively inaccessible area? And, even more concerning, how would you cut it out without taking my larynx or vital nerves with it? Having to undergo any kind of speech therapy would effectively end my career.
I'd prefer that the surgery is as simple as possible and won't leave scarring or require bone reconstruction. Some of the options I've read about are downright scary.
The one encouraging sign is the fact that its not growing and is no longer angry looking and cherry red. I suspect that might be due to my change in diet.
I will insist on its immediate and expeditious removal.
Okay, understood. It has to be eliminated ASAP. But how? Cryogenically? By lasers? Or by way of more traditional methods, like cutting it out with a scalpel?
How would you gain access to this relatively inaccessible area? And, even more concerning, how would you cut it out without taking my larynx or vital nerves with it? Having to undergo any kind of speech therapy would effectively end my career.
I'd prefer that the surgery is as simple as possible and won't leave scarring or require bone reconstruction. Some of the options I've read about are downright scary.
The one encouraging sign is the fact that its not growing and is no longer angry looking and cherry red. I suspect that might be due to my change in diet.
I will insist on its immediate and expeditious removal.
Brief Answer:
Leave the technicalities to the doctor.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I would suggest you to leave these technicalities to the ENT Surgeon who would operate. A number of things need to be kept in consideration and the MRI would prove handy in assessing the degree of local spread.
You might appreciate that first thing comes first. Career perhaps comes second to staying alive. Surely you would not want to compromise on the latter. However I do not think that your larynx and it's nerve supply have been involved.
Regards
Leave the technicalities to the doctor.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
I would suggest you to leave these technicalities to the ENT Surgeon who would operate. A number of things need to be kept in consideration and the MRI would prove handy in assessing the degree of local spread.
You might appreciate that first thing comes first. Career perhaps comes second to staying alive. Surely you would not want to compromise on the latter. However I do not think that your larynx and it's nerve supply have been involved.
Regards
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
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