Q. I have a constant feeling that there is a hair at the back of my throat. Why?

Hello doctor,

I suffer from a bad health anxiety. For the past few months, I feel like there is a hair at the back of my throat and it gets worse at night. My ear also pains and I can feel three pea-sized lumps on the right side of my neck. I got cold twice a couple of months back and I am taking Omeprazole from two days for acidity. I am a heavy drinker and smoke weed for a few years. I went to the doctors because of my throat issue, and he checked the back of my throat with a flashlight and did a swab, it all came back clear. I have been referred to an ENT, but I have to wait a few weeks. I just checked my throat and saw that my tonsil is swollen, and it feels like one side is numb. But I do not feel it when I swallow. I am so scared that I have tonsil cancer. Can you see the pictures and tell me if both my tonsils are swollen?

Hello doctor,

Thank you for replying. Yes, most of the time it is hard to breathe through my right nostril, there is a whistling sound that comes from it. But, when I lay in the bed at some angles, the whistling goes away. I can breathe normally after I clean my nostril. I have had a swab test done and got the results back, and they did not find any infection in the back of my throat. Why do you think my tonsils are inflamed? Are they both inflamed? I am scared that I have tonsil cancer. I have stopped smoking weed from three to four weeks, and would not smoke again as I am afraid of dying.

Hi doctor,

Thank you so much, I have been worried sick for days and not getting any rest just waiting for my appointment with the ENT. Is it normal that I could have this tickle for a few months from the post-nasal drip? As it has been almost three months, which is why I have been so worried. Also, I would like to mention that, from a few months now, I have been breathing through my mouth while I sleep. I have been suffering from heartburn during the week now, so I am worried that I could have Barrett's esophagus. So, I should not worry about tonsil cancer?

Hi doctor,

Thanks for the reply and help, it has been amazing. Do you think that after taking these medicines my throats will finally heal and my symptoms will go? I feel like I will have it forever. Thank you for reassuring that it is not tonsil or throat cancer. It all started after a few months at my new flat and after a heavy drinking night here, should I get a humidifier for my room?

Hi doctor,

I still get a little post-nasal drip, but it is much better after two days on the spray and tablets. But, now I am scared that it is sinus cancer or nasal cancer, as the right nostril inside on the left has a little scab which I have been picking for like 2 to 3 months and has not healed. Is this from me picking it all the time? Also, if it were cancer would it always be blocked? I get whistling from that nostril and not the other one, and I am worried it is cancer due to the symptoms. I do breathe much better when taking the spray. But, it still whistles and when I breathe in quite hard, I can feel it closing up, and it does not happen on the left side. I have an appointment with an ENT doctor next month, and I am really scared that he is going to tell me I have one of these cancers, as I am having these problems for months now.

Hello doctor,

Thanks so much, you have put my mind at rest. I still worry because, from the past week and a half, I have had a sore eye. I feel like my eyes are getting pushed, I do spend few hours looking at the computer, but I took a day off it, and it still burns even with eye drops. This all started when the doctor referred me to an ENT, do you think it could be from stress with worrying as I have had it every day? I breathe through my mouth a lot, sometimes during the day, but mostly when sleeping. Why does it feel that the right side of my throat is numb when I swallow? I can feel random pea sized nodes on the right side, which the other side does not have. But my pictures did not look like my throat has anything serious, right? Did both tonsils look inflamed a little, and not just one?

Hello doctor,

Thank you for replying. I saw on a website that if one tonsil is bigger than the other, then it is mostly always cancer. Why do you think that my right one is inflamed than the other? Do you think it is large because of the post-nasal drip? Do you feel after a few days or weeks of taking the spray and medicine that my tonsils will go back to normal? I am scared it is tonsil cancer due to them being inflamed for so long.

Hi doctor,

Your answers help a lot, I have been worried sick that I have some throat or tonsil cancer due to my throat looking so red and also little red patches. If you zoom in on these updated pictures I just took now, you can see a red spot at the back of my throat behind my uvula, or is that normal? I hope it is just due to my right nose being blocked and causing post-nasal drip. When it first started, the tickle would only happen when I used to get in the bed, which used to make me cough. I have attached pictures and a video.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply. Do you think I have nasal polyp which is causing my right nostril blockage? It is cleaned up after taking the nasal spray, which I have stopped as it has been four days. I still take the decongest tablets along with N-acetyl cysteine 600 mg, which I bought today. The left nostril is fine when breathing in and out, but the right still feels closed. The tickling feeling is so much better, do get tickles now and then when moving my mouth and sometimes during the day. And I get just a burning feeling in the back of my throat sometimes, but that is it. I am scared that it is a nasal polyp which is causing it. I have a friend's birthday party tonight, do you think I can drink alcohol?