Medical Questions » Mouth and Throat Questions » Question No. 685
| Question: | I have had a terrible sore throat that has come and gone for weeks. It wakes me at night, and it hurts to swallow. Even moving my neck hurts. I have gargled with Milton, and wrapped socks around my neck at night. I am well over 80 and would appreciate your advice. |
| Answer: | You must see a doctor. A persistent sore throat may merely be a recurrent infection, or it may be something far more significant, particularly if you are a smoker.
There are many causes for pain in the throat including tonsillitis, quinsy, abscesses, foreign bodies (eg. fish bones), leukaemia, arthritis in the neck, and cancer.
Gargling with Milton (I don' t know how you could stand the taste!) has probably killed every bacteria on the surface of your throat lining, but they may still be causing trouble in deeper tissue layers. A fish or chicken bone may have lodged in your throat, and not have caused trouble until some hours after the tesponsible meal. More serious causes can be dealt with by appropriate surgery, medication or irradiation.
Abandon the socks and Milton, and seek professional advice tomorrow.
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