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What Causes Severe Throat Inflammation And Acid Reflux?
Question: Hello. I have had an inflammed throat for about 8 months now, and in addition have recently noticed that my left tonsil is a little bit bigger than my right. I have no other symptoms, as there is no pain and no cough. I have an overall feeling of just something different in my mouth, but i always assumed that might be from oral thrush(self diagnosed). I do suffer from some postnasal drip, as well as tmj disorder and acid reflux on occasion. I have checked my lymph nodes to the best of my ability, and everything seems normal. I do drink regularly/daily, but have never smoked a cigarette in my life. I am very concerned that I have a serious issue, and its pretty much consuming my everyday life. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?
Brief Answer:
Acid Reflux and Chronic Tonsillitis. Needs management as discussed!!!
Detailed Answer:
Warm Welcomes. I appreciate your trust in HCM and assure you are on best portal on the globe for expert online medical services.
I have thoroughly reviewed health query you raised, and well realize all of those concerns. Being your physician, I will take care all of them today and will extend my expertise to solve the problems.
I feel sorry for the health issue you have and want to add here that you have multiple issues that are running parallel and influence one another to give a final picture of symptoms.
You have primarily Gastroesophageal Reflux disease (gerd) and an infection/inflammation of the throat. Secondly you have a chronic infection of the Tonsils.
For GERD you need to consult a Gastroenterologist for proper evaluation of the issue. He will take a thorough history, will go for some Physical examination and will run a battery of tests on you to make sure what is causing this hyperacidity and reflux of acid. He will do H.Pylori bacterial infection test of the stomach via breath test and a blood serology to see if this is the cause of hyperacidity in stomach. Then he also will move for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD is a procedure in which they pass a camera inside the mouth and see the structures of the gastrointestinal tract and will find out any defect). EGD may reveal some lesions of the lower sphincter of the food pipe (esophagus) that is usually kept tightly closed. But if there is a disease of this area of food pipe, the sphincter can't close tight and stomach acid regurgitates and reflux upwards into the food pipe all the way to throat.
Acid causes continuous irritation of throat and its mucosal wall inflammation. That is why you are having symptoms of sore throat, post nasal drip etc. Once ruled out, Gastroenterologist will treat you accordingly. I usually start such patients with DEXILANT by mouth that is a potent acid reducer and meanwhile all the aforementioned investigations are carried out.
Secondly, you have to consult an ENT Specialist (Otorhinolaryngologist). He will examine your nose, throat and ears. Nasals issues like nasal polyps or deflected nasal septum also cause such symptoms as you are feeling right now.
He will also go for your tonsils examination and frequent, chronic tonsil infections usually prefer to go for surgical removal of tonsils. Medications have little role in such chronic cases. I can guide you to take medicines too but that is totally illogical and why to take extra burden of side effects of medicines when there is no cure due to them. So, consult your ENT Specialist and follow his instructions. Since then you may take ACETAMINOPHEN and FEXOFENADINE for symptomatic relief. Keep doing gargles and other remedies you mentioned in 'Medications Tried'.
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts. Please give your 'rating' (if agreed, Five Stars) to help me assist patients in a better way; and, please don't forget to click on 'Close The Discussion'.
For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
Acid Reflux and Chronic Tonsillitis. Needs management as discussed!!!
Detailed Answer:
Warm Welcomes. I appreciate your trust in HCM and assure you are on best portal on the globe for expert online medical services.
I have thoroughly reviewed health query you raised, and well realize all of those concerns. Being your physician, I will take care all of them today and will extend my expertise to solve the problems.
I feel sorry for the health issue you have and want to add here that you have multiple issues that are running parallel and influence one another to give a final picture of symptoms.
You have primarily Gastroesophageal Reflux disease (gerd) and an infection/inflammation of the throat. Secondly you have a chronic infection of the Tonsils.
For GERD you need to consult a Gastroenterologist for proper evaluation of the issue. He will take a thorough history, will go for some Physical examination and will run a battery of tests on you to make sure what is causing this hyperacidity and reflux of acid. He will do H.Pylori bacterial infection test of the stomach via breath test and a blood serology to see if this is the cause of hyperacidity in stomach. Then he also will move for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD is a procedure in which they pass a camera inside the mouth and see the structures of the gastrointestinal tract and will find out any defect). EGD may reveal some lesions of the lower sphincter of the food pipe (esophagus) that is usually kept tightly closed. But if there is a disease of this area of food pipe, the sphincter can't close tight and stomach acid regurgitates and reflux upwards into the food pipe all the way to throat.
Acid causes continuous irritation of throat and its mucosal wall inflammation. That is why you are having symptoms of sore throat, post nasal drip etc. Once ruled out, Gastroenterologist will treat you accordingly. I usually start such patients with DEXILANT by mouth that is a potent acid reducer and meanwhile all the aforementioned investigations are carried out.
Secondly, you have to consult an ENT Specialist (Otorhinolaryngologist). He will examine your nose, throat and ears. Nasals issues like nasal polyps or deflected nasal septum also cause such symptoms as you are feeling right now.
He will also go for your tonsils examination and frequent, chronic tonsil infections usually prefer to go for surgical removal of tonsils. Medications have little role in such chronic cases. I can guide you to take medicines too but that is totally illogical and why to take extra burden of side effects of medicines when there is no cure due to them. So, consult your ENT Specialist and follow his instructions. Since then you may take ACETAMINOPHEN and FEXOFENADINE for symptomatic relief. Keep doing gargles and other remedies you mentioned in 'Medications Tried'.
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts. Please give your 'rating' (if agreed, Five Stars) to help me assist patients in a better way; and, please don't forget to click on 'Close The Discussion'.
For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
thank you. I have become overly concerned with this issue as the throat is inflammed but NOT SORE, AND ONLY ONE TONSIL LOOKS TO BE ENLARGED. I am concerned about throat or tonsil cancer, among other things. I just don't understand why my throat is red for 8+ months! with my drinking daily, I am worried that permanent damage has been done or that I have cancer.
Brief Answer:
Throat inflammation is due to the reason aforementioned. Alcohol ads-on!
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back with the follow up query. I am happy to assist you today to clear the doubts about the disease you have.
It is actually the inflammation of the throat, yes--you are right. It is due to continuous irritation.
Irritants in your case seems to be:
Gastric acid and Alcohol. Yes, alcohol also causes the throat irritation and inflammation resulting redness of the mucosa as you are describing.
You can consult your Physician regarding abstinence from alcohol if you need medical help in this regard. He will assess the issue and if needed may refer you to an addiction rehabilitation clinic.
Tonsils also get enlarged on one side due to many reasons like local injury to one tonsil; tonsil stones (tonsiloliths) etc. It is necessary to observe and evaluate the tonsils situation via Physical examination.
To clear the doubts you have regarding cancer, it is necessary to consult an Otorhinolaryngologist in-person. If suspicious, he may go for the throat biopsy to see if there is a chance of malignancy. I pray for the best of your health.
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts . For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
Throat inflammation is due to the reason aforementioned. Alcohol ads-on!
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back with the follow up query. I am happy to assist you today to clear the doubts about the disease you have.
It is actually the inflammation of the throat, yes--you are right. It is due to continuous irritation.
Irritants in your case seems to be:
Gastric acid and Alcohol. Yes, alcohol also causes the throat irritation and inflammation resulting redness of the mucosa as you are describing.
You can consult your Physician regarding abstinence from alcohol if you need medical help in this regard. He will assess the issue and if needed may refer you to an addiction rehabilitation clinic.
Tonsils also get enlarged on one side due to many reasons like local injury to one tonsil; tonsil stones (tonsiloliths) etc. It is necessary to observe and evaluate the tonsils situation via Physical examination.
To clear the doubts you have regarding cancer, it is necessary to consult an Otorhinolaryngologist in-person. If suspicious, he may go for the throat biopsy to see if there is a chance of malignancy. I pray for the best of your health.
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts . For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
If, in addition to allergies, alcohol consumption can cause chronic redness, is a ten day "no alcohol" period not enough time for the throat to show signs of healing?
lastly, is it possible to have acid reflux or gerd without any real signs...in other words, can these things be "silent" and in hand be causing my throat irritation?
lastly, is it possible to have acid reflux or gerd without any real signs...in other words, can these things be "silent" and in hand be causing my throat irritation?
Brief Answer:
Not necessarily, 10 days off of alcohol never assures full recovery!!!
Detailed Answer:
Warm Welcomes. I appreciate your trust in HCM. I will be glad to assist you today for the health issues you raised with some doubts.
It is not necessarily a surety that 10 days off of alcohol may take you to complete resolution of the symptoms. It is actually depending on the extent of damages to the mucosal lining. It can be decided on thorough evaluation including physical examination and investigations.
Yes, sometimes in GERD patients they feel no stomach pain or heartburn (I mean they are clinically silent for the formal symptoms of acid reflux). But they are caught based on the symptoms of throat and mouth issues, voice changes due to irritations and inflammation of the Larynx and the vocal cord area (the sound box).
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts. Please give your 'rating' (if agreed, Five Stars) to help me assist patients in a better way; and, please don't forget to click on 'Close The Discussion'.
For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
Not necessarily, 10 days off of alcohol never assures full recovery!!!
Detailed Answer:
Warm Welcomes. I appreciate your trust in HCM. I will be glad to assist you today for the health issues you raised with some doubts.
It is not necessarily a surety that 10 days off of alcohol may take you to complete resolution of the symptoms. It is actually depending on the extent of damages to the mucosal lining. It can be decided on thorough evaluation including physical examination and investigations.
Yes, sometimes in GERD patients they feel no stomach pain or heartburn (I mean they are clinically silent for the formal symptoms of acid reflux). But they are caught based on the symptoms of throat and mouth issues, voice changes due to irritations and inflammation of the Larynx and the vocal cord area (the sound box).
Hope I addressed all the concerns you have. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be more than happy to clear any doubts. Please give your 'rating' (if agreed, Five Stars) to help me assist patients in a better way; and, please don't forget to click on 'Close The Discussion'.
For any disease you have, a timely follow-up is necessary regarding the treatment efficacy and to see if there is a need to change treatment options. So keep a follow up to see how you doing (Always write down my name in start of your questions at this forum & I will be with you in no time).
Regards!
DR. HANIF
USA
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. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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