Brief Answer:
Often overlooked diagnosis of GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL NEURITIS

Detailed Answer:
Good evening. Your symptoms as well as the loss in time by going to GI and other specialists such as ENT (though it surprises me that ENT wouldn't've thought of making the referral to neurology) unless your story is missing something important is the classic description of someone who should be highly suspected as having:

GLOSSOPHARYNGITIS NEURITIS. Some people may call it NEURALGIA....but qutie technically a NEURALGIA is not what you're describing since your pain seems to be quite continuous and ongoing as opposed to a neuralgia which comes lightning fast and causes very rapid bursts of pain and sudden catches especially when triggered by movement, muscle contractions, swallowing, etc. and only lasts fractions of seconds or a couple of seconds at most though they can occur multiple times in a day.

The causes as to why this CRANIAL NERVE (CN IX) that controls functions in your esophagus suddenly goes off the rails....but it can with irritation from things like compression against an underlying artery, tumor, diabetes melltisu, chemical irritation, chronic viral infection, or under some circumstances it can be caused by a lesion in the brain itself in the territory of the bottom most portion of the brainstem where the Ninth Cranial Nerve emanates and exits to supply the esophageal region. For this an MRI of the brain with contrast and FINE CUTS through the brainstem should be performed...specifically the medulla.

A good neurologist would be able to give more details as to what they were looking for if they could not find any other reasonable explanation of the symptoms as you've described them.

In conclusion, I would seek out a neurologist for further evaluation as I've described as I think you may some different opinions and quite possible a diagnosis. Also, I would avoid much in the way of medications or other interventions until I had more knowledge as to the cause. If it is glossopharyngeal neuritis or neuralgia then, medications known as NEUROPATHIC agents are likely to be your best drugs of choice to relieve pain. Of course, it would be highly preferable to find the cause and address that instead.

Tally Ho!

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