Patients often come to see me with neck and throat problems. The types of the complaints I normally hear are:
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Pressure and fullness in the throat |
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Difficulty swallowing with a sense of something stuck in the throat |
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Hoarseness/voice changes |
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A need to constantly clear the throat |
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Chronic coughing |
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A sensation of something lodged in the throat |
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Excess drainage down the back of the throat |
Any of these symptoms that persist greater than one month MUST be evaluated to rule out both benign and malignant tumors. The vast majority of patients with these complaints do not have tumors. Typically these complaints are more often due to chronic sinus infections, allergies and heartburn problems. A test called a diagnostic laryngoscopy is often used to evaluate what the problem is. I use this fiber optic exam to be able to directly visualize the throat. It is a fast, simple and painless procedure that can be performed in my office. Once the underlying medical problem is treated most patients have total resolution of the above complaints.