Hi I'm in the same boat. I've had a persistent sore throat just on my left side for 5/6 weeks now with a stabbing pain in my left ear like a constant earache. I'm always clearing my throat. I've got no redness or anything but I do have 1 big lymph node that is enlarged also on the left that's been there for around 12 months I have had 1 scan on that and they wanted a rescan but covid kicked in so I didn't get another appointment. I called my gp on the 15th of March she said gargle salt water it's probably viral. I called again this week and she said because of the length of time it's been going on she will prescribe me a weeks worth of antibiotics amoxicillin just to be sure there's no infect (I'm day 4 with absolutely no improvement) and if that doesn't work she will be giving me a referral to the ENT. My issue is I know they are not being very prompt with appointments at the moment and they are limiting things ect so I don't even know if I will be seen or if it's even serious enough for them to give me an appointment. 
 

anyway hope it helps to have a buddy who is going through the same thing I'm a 29f btw x

Thank you so much for your reply. I think I've finally got through to a Dr on Thursday (third one) first step got my bloods done and he has put me on some antibiotics. If there is no improvement he will refer me to an ENT. I really hope either something shows up in my bloods or the antibiotics work. Feeling okay today but I have days like that, so not feeling over confident. I know if it's serious I want to catch it early. I completely know where you're coming from with the ENT wait! This really freaks me out too. 
 

fingers crossed things will be okay and sorted for the both of us soon.

xx

Hey,

That's not great about your ear. No I haven't had what I call ear pain. My Lymph nodes are sore and tender around it though so it is a little painfull. My sore throat comes and goes. It was fine yesterday but today no good! Not worse when I swallow. The anti-biotics are doing nothing. Just waiting for the rest of my blood results back tomorrow and then I'll see what needs to be done. Was your swollen lymph node sore and tender? 

I too hope you're feeling better today :)

Hi how are you today? Did you get your results back? No I have no pain what so ever with lymph node I think pain and tenderness is a good sign though as it indicates it's doing its job (I've had one removed before because it was suspicious and I had no pain at all with that just enlarged) the antibiotics are doing absolutely nothing for me either I'm now on day 6 and i plan to call the dr back tomorrow as I'm not happy with how I'm feeling still. I know she will send  me up to the ENT which obviously is good but also I don't really want to be setting foot inside any hospital at the moment. We will see what happens. I've got a horrible feeling in my gut that it's something horrible I hope not but I've never had this 1 sided sore throat for this long ever in my life. 

Hey, I'm fine sore throat still lingering and feel like my glands are strangling me so nothing unusual for me atm :) Bloods all fine which is good. I was really hoping though that I had glandular fever (Mono) It would explain everything and put an end to my worry. I spoke with a Dr today and I hopefully will be having a neck ultrasound in the next seven days. No ENT appointments available until Covid-19 is under controll which is a bit nerve racking. 

I'm trying to keep calm. From what i've read through this forum it is always best to push your doctor a bit ( not in a psychotic way) My dad is GP in Australia and he said never be afraid to ask.  I just want to feel better again and feel that everyday is the same. It has been mentioned to me to by the Doctors that it maybe possible that I have had Covid-19 even with my symptoms (Only sore throat and swollen glands), they just don't have enough data on it.

Please keep my up to date with how you're doing this has been a realy comfort for me. 

xx

That sounds horrible. Omg really no ent appointments? What region are you? My dr did say to me last week that she would want me seen at ENT I wonder if it's different in different hospitals? I had a ultrasound on my gland that was enlarged back in January and I was meant to have a rescan 8weeks later as 1 was enlarged enough for it not to be deemed normal but because of covid it didn't happen. So I do wonder what sort of restrictions have been happening and how they can justify not having the access to departments that can be life saving if you do end up having anything sinister. My throat is still really bugging me it's so annoying and the pain in my ear is horrible I've been taking Cocodmol just to ease it. At the moment I think it's even harder because they won't even look into my mouth because of my "sore throat" just in case it's covid but I'm so sure covid won't last near on 6 weeks? Hopefully we both get answers soon! Have they said how long it will take for your ultrasound to come through? Good news about your blood test though  

Hi Elcatador. 
jusy checking in how are you? 

Hi Help1234,

So sorry I missed this!. I'm okay I had my ultrasound a couple of weeks ago for my lymph nodes and got the all clear so was pretty relieved. In the last couple of days however my sore throat has returned. I'm hoping it goes away again but am going to speak with my Dr about it. They said if it returned that they would refer me to an ENT.

Anyway how are you doing? I hope you are feeling better or that you have been able to see someone.

Hi ! Yay that's good good I'm so happy you've had that good news. My ultrasound was clear too. No need for biopsy. I have a appointment this evening at 4.40pm to see a ENT dr at the hospital. I am so so so worried my anxiety is bad today. Hopefully tonight I will find out all is okay! X

Oh Good luck! Please let me know how you get on! Sending you all my best wishes. Hopefully this will be the end!  xx

Yeah I do hope so!!! It's going to be a long day, I've been waiting and waiting for this appointment for weeks. Hopefully all is good and that's the end of that. X

Hi Help1234,

Just wondering how you are doing and how everything went with the ENT appointment. Hoping it all went okay xx

Hi Help1234,

Just wondering how you are doing and how everything went with the ENT appointment. Hoping it all went okay xx

Hey, how are you both doing now? I came across this forum as I've had really similar symptoms for the past 6 weeks :( the left side of my throat has been hurting on and off and it's mainly when I swallow, put my chin on my chest, yawn, move my neck in certain angles etc. It's causing me serious anxiety and my gp has told me to try some ear drops and see how it goes - there's not even anything wrong with my ears! Xx

Hey there, 

I find this post really interesting, I had covid the last week of November 2020 and first week of December. Since then I've had reoccurring sore throats and this past week I've started having ear aches. 

I feel irritation every time I swallow, my throat always feels dry and scratchy. Sometimes it feels like my necks swole and I get warm aches in it every now and again. 

It's literally driving me insane. I've never experienced acid reflux before covid, but I have been struggling with heartburn recently. Might try gaviscon like some people have recommended. Hopefully that will help my throat and ear symptoms. 

I've been tested again and the lateral flow test shows that I have no covid in my system, I doubt I've re-caught it. Think it's a lasting side effect? 

I'm only 24 but covid has completely knocked me on my ***

Stay safe out there <3

Can't believe how many people are having the same symptoms. Like someone else said, I have symptoms on and off - bad throat for several weeks now. It seemed to start with sore ear a few months ago. Interested to hear how people r getting on/treatment they r receiving, if any. I had antibiotics when I had ear problem but they didn't do anything. Haven't had COVID test - so don't know if I have had it.

So I had weird feeling inbetween chest and throat constantly for weeks and over past 2 weeks or so have had sore throat and sore ears, throat is on one side. 

I have now over last few days developed more typical covid symptoms, flu like and have had a positive covid test. 

I think I've perhaps been infected twice, maybe the two strains. 

I am hopeful it's all covid related. 

Very happy to have found this! Same symptoms as most have said in here, pain swallowing on one side, thought tonsillitis but 4 weeks later and post antibiotics still no change. GP at a loss, next steps will be tests I assume but I'm less concerned now of anything too sinister after finding this. With so much mention of Covid on here it got me thinking, and then realising does mask wearing have a big part to play in all this? Even changing masks routinely still could have a risk associated? Breathing into a masks sometimes for 30 mins or more with your own germs then harbouring in it and perhaps multiplying and then when reworn you're essentially breathing back in those germs.

Just a thought/idea that seems to go with the timelines of this thread and Covid/mask wearing.

Obviously masks are a good thing and save lives, I'd never advocate not wearing them, but I do wonder if they are a contributor to a lot of issues raised by myself/people on here.

I just thought I'd update people. I am still experiencing sore throat left side and ear pain (it's been nearly a year). I've had lots of tests but all comes back clear. I'm due to see ent again in a weeks time to discuss what else could be going on. 
 

at a loss now I'm just living with this daily and hoping that I get somthing sorted so I can not be in discomfort all the time. 

i have also found a small lump bahind my left ear which I'm going to ask them about. 

Really glad I found this discussion this afternoon as I am in a similar place to some people here. 

During the last week of November last year, I was eating some jellied sweets and all of a sudden, couldnt swallow them properly and didnt think anything of it.  For the entire month of December I had had a really bad toothache, I saw my dentist and she said I had receding gums and just to brush carefully. 

A week later, I went to bed and when I swallowed, my throat began to choke. Never experienced anything like it and I thought I had something trapped in my throat.  After speaking to NHS direct I went off to A and E and got checked out, I had nothing in my throat and was sent home. 

After feeling unwell all weekend, I paid to see an ENT, she checked me over and then performed an Endoscopy the next week. I was told I had some minor evidence of acid reflux and was put on PPI's and Gaviscon. 

2 days before Christmas, I was eating lunch and all of a sudden I began to choke when I tried to swallow and couldn't eat anything, sadly my Christmas lunch consisted of soup. It was probably about this time when I developed a sore throat. 

My tooth ache continued so Boxing Day, I went to a private dentist who I did a thorough job and said that my tooth was fine and gave me a course of anit biotics to clear the infection. 

Post Christmas, I contacted my GP, told them I had stopped eating and they made an urgent refferal for me to be checked for cancer. 

The sore throat has still lingered, for some strange reason last week for a couple of days, I actually managed to have some solid food in small amounts without swallowing difficulties.  This didnt last though, at the weekend I tried to eat some Salmon and then my swallowing difficulties started again. 

This week, I went to hospital and had a full endoscopy down to my stomach ( I wish I had chosen the sedation option for that) . No sign of anything cancerous, they took alot of biopsie samples and said that there was some resistance in getting the endoscope into my throat.  

Ive just had a CT scan done as well so am now waiting to see what all this means. 

I did think about Covid but never had any symptons, I was tested prior to going into hospital this weekend and it came back negative.   

I am still suffering from a sore throat and following my endoscopy, I have gained a brown tongue which I assume is a bacterial infection. 

So, still sitting here with this sore throat ( nothing swollen ) and swallowing problem,  I am hoping that I get some answers soon now. 

Thanks for reading. 

Hi everyone 

I feel a little relieved after reading all the posts as I was scarying myself silly after consulting with Dr Google.

I have a hiatus hernia that causes acid reflux and has done for a few years, last June I got a sore throat with no other symptoms that lasted about 4 weeks and I decided to go private and had a gastroscopy. This found extensive scaring and some biopsies were taken which luckily came back clear.

I was advised to take PPI's daily if and when the reflux played up. Then I was absolutely fine for a few months until I got COVID in October but while I was quite unwell for 3-4 weeks I didn't have any reflux or throat issues.

On the 30th Decmber the sore throat with pain when swallowing was back out of the blue with a vengeance, was asked by my GP to increase PPI's from one to two a day which did nothing , told to take Gaviscon as well which again did nothing, even though I explained I was not having any reflux.

'After several econsults with my GP and sending them a picture of my mouth where the area around my right tonsil was inflamed finally they have agreed to get a fast track appointment with an ENT specialist.

I'm glad I'm being seen.... while being terrified what they may find.

Wishing everyone positive outcomes. x

Firstly and like many others posting here I cannot believe the number of people with similar symptoms. Mine started with a dry sore throat 5 weeks ago which isn't clearing. It's worse at night and affects my sleep. Soreness severity comes and goes a bit. Swollen lymph glands in the neck as well as a constant dry stuffy/blocked nose. Doctor has prescribed antibiotics where I'm 2 days in. Had negative covid test as well. If the antibiotics dont worked told I will be referred to ENT specialist. 

Good luck everyone with your recoveries and thanks for taking time to post

Best wishes 

Mark

A week before Christmas I noticed that I had swollen glands in the right side of my neck.  It wasn't accompanied by any other symptoms and I assumed it would go a way after a couple of weeks.  By 12th January I saw an emergency doctor who, having felt the glands, said they weren't hard, but suggested I see my doctor to be referred for a scan or ultrasound.  As I'm locked down in the Midlands I couldn't return to London to see my doctor so I decided to change my doctor's surgery to one near when I'm currently located.  That onlly took 6 days and I saw my new doctor on 20th January.  He said he'd do a blood test immediately rather then send me for a scan because there wasn't anything really warranting a scan/ultrasound at this stage.  The blood test results were negative.

On 26th January I had STI tests, but they all came back negative too.

The swollen glands come and go just like most other posters here have mentioned.  Today I sneezed and suddenly the glands became very painful affecting my swallowing and causing pain in the right ear/eustacian tube.  This is the worst it's been.

I've been having regular tests for COVID-19 since October and all have come back negative including the most recent one on 16th January.

It's a mystery and I hope we can all find out what it is that's causing this.