Why do my throat and neck symptoms keep getting worse?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am really struggling and do not know where to turn anymore. For the last four to five months, I have had ongoing throat and neck problems that no one seems able to explain. I have seen multiple general practitioners, been to two emergency departments, and even seen an ENT with over 40 years of experience. Every time, I am told they can’t find anything or that nothing is wrong, but my symptoms are very real and not going away.

I have pain at the top of my voice box, and there is a strange internal noise or breathing sound that only I can hear. It is more noticeable when I breathe through my mouth. I also get pain in the lower neck area, possibly around the oesophagus, and it constantly feels like my throat is tight, pulled, or pushed to one side.

I can feel my epiglottis now, which was never something I noticed before, and at times it feels like my throat or voice box is bent or out of place near the top. Recently, after swallowing only a bit harder than normal, I felt sharp pain on both sides of the upper voice box, like being poked with toothpicks.

I have had several CT scans, including one with contrast just yesterday. I was told they saw a virus, but no one has explained how that accounts for these ongoing sensations, pain, or the feeling that something structural is wrong.

What scares me most is that this feels persistent and possibly getting worse, yet I cannot get a straight answer. I am exhausted, anxious, and honestly starting to lose hope. I do not know who to see next or how to get someone to really look deeper and explain what is happening.

What kind of specialist should I be seeing, and what could be causing symptoms like this even when scans look normal?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and can understand your concern.

One thing I would specifically ask your ENT (ear, nose, and throat) is whether a nasopharyngolaryngoscopy has been done. In routine practice, this is often the most informative next step when scans are normal, but symptoms persist. It is a thin, flexible scope passed through the nose to look directly at the nose, throat, voice box, epiglottis, and upper airway while you breathe and swallow. It is usually done in the clinic and takes only a few minutes.

The value of this test is that it lets us see how things are actually moving and behaving in real time. CT (computed tomography) scans and ultrasounds show structure, but they can miss functional problems. If there is intermittent narrowing, abnormal movement, muscle tightness, irritation, or something getting momentarily obstructed during breathing or swallowing, this examination can show it clearly.

In my experience, many patients with ongoing throat pain, awareness of the epiglottis, unusual breathing sounds, or a feeling of pulling or bending in the upper throat have their answers here, even when earlier imaging looked reassuring.

If this test has already been done and was normal, that itself is very reassuring and further supports a functional or inflammatory cause rather than something dangerous. If it has not been done, it is a very reasonable and practical next step to ask for, as it often provides clarity and helps guide the right treatment rather than continuing with repeated scans and emergency visits.

I hope this answers your query.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.