I have had a really painful sore throat for about a week now and it s hard to swallow anything, but I am still able to. I can t tell if my neck itches or hurts and my voice has changed. I have also had ear pain, but not consistently. Also, I have what feels like a lump in the left side of my throat right underneath my jaw. It might just be a cold, but without having any other symptoms of a cold, I m worried it might be something else.