We know how pain – especially sudden, seemingly unexplained pain – can affect your daily life, from working, to leisure activities, to sleeping. That’s why, when you experience any pain (and especially during normal activities, like swallowing) it’s so important to get things looked over.
So, why does it hurt when I swallow?
There are lots of reasons why this might be happening, and often the best course of action is to get a proper diagnosis, which you can do by booking a consultation with our team in London. However, it can help to consider the following:
– Where are you experiencing the pain?
This can help us narrow down the area to look at. For example, it might hurt in your chest, throat or back. We specialise in areas such as the head, neck, nose and throat.
– Have you had any signs of cold, flu or infection?
For these, viral throat infection treatment may be needed. It’s helpful for us to know whether any virus or infection is a recurring situation when making your treatment plan. For instance, if you have repeated bouts of tonsillitis, it might be worth looking into tonsil removal surgery.
– Is your thyroid swollen?
Note that this is different to your lymph nodes. In some situations, both may be swollen. We specialise in overactive thyroid treatment, which may give you some peace of mind.
– Is it possible food or medication/treatment might have irritated your throat?
This question can help us rule out anything serious. It might be a case of changing how you take your medication or what you take and addressing diet. Of course, your throat problems may make swallowing food more difficult, so this also needs to be taken into account.
– Do you have any existing diagnosed conditions, such as GERD (a type of acid reflux)?
This is a common cause of throat pain and is worth eliminating.
How can I manage the pain?
It depends on what the cause is – again, a consultation is an important first step. However, it may be that over-the-counter medicines could offer some relief in the run-up to your appointment; you can always seek advice from the NHS 111 service about this.
What treatments do you offer?
Treatments are led by Jonathan Hughes, a Consultant ENT Specialist and Thyroid Surgeon based in London. They could include removing lumps and cysts; overactive thyroid treatment; surgery on the sinus; and even a tonsillectomy (also known as tonsil removal surgery, linked to recurring tonsillitis). An in-person diagnosis will help work out the problem, potentially the cause, and a treatment solution.
What do I do now?
Book a consultation with Jonathan. Talk to our warm and professional team today to find out how to book, secure your consultation, or enquire about the next steps. We look forward to hearing from you soon and treating your concerns here in London.