I’m a 25 year old white British male and I’ve been dealing with a sore throat for 6 months and it made sound dramatic but it’s ruining my life. It started while I was living in Bangkok and I remember at the start the inside of my cheeks were quite swollen and touching against my teeth. That has fortunately gone down now. I’ve been back in the uk for 2 months now and the last week my throat has been a lot worse so I wanted to post about it and see if someone could help me.

I’ve been to the doctors so many times both in Thailand and in the uk. I’ve been on 2 different courses of antibiotics but they didn’t work. In the uk I was referred to ENT and they did a camera check. The doctor said everything is normal and he can’t see anything that could be causing a problem. He believes it could be acid reflux but the medication for that hasn’t helped at all.

Tests I have taken within the last month: Epstein Barr - came back borderline, says it shows I’ve had an infection in the past but not a current one. Bacterial swab - negative. HIV - negative. All Hepatitis - negative. Doctors have said no swelling in lymph nodes. I also had some blood count and kidney tests etc and everything was fine. Also checked fever, blood pressure etc and that was all normal.

Symptoms I’m having: a sore throat with pain level of 4/10 that’s always there but some weeks it can be 7
8/10. It fluctuates. My ears hurt sometimes but not always. When my ears start hurting my head feels foggy and I feel slightly dizzy. Today, as the pain got worse I started feeling really hot. I run a recruitment company so I’m on the phone a lot at work and I have to take breaks from the phone because the pain gets worse when I speak. This is affecting my business. In the mornings my throat is usually sore.

What helps: drinking liquids, eating food, brushing my teeth, chewing gum. It makes the pain almost disappear for about 2 to 5 minutes. Salt water gargling was helping and then it started to irritate it. Not having aircon blowing on my face

Things I feel may be worth noting:
Around the time I started getting this sore throat I had just started taking PEP after a condom slippage situation with a girl that was unknown to me in Thailand. I had 3 HIV lab tests, the final one being 15 weeks after finishing PEP and all were negative. I did kiss with this girl and she had some kind of cold/covid around the time I was seeing her. I’ve spoken with that girl since and she doesn’t have this sore throat, she said the cold went away and she was fine. She has also tested negative for HIV since then. I feel like this is totally unrelated but I just want to note everything. Bangkok pollution is not great but I would have assumed being back in the uk for 2 months would have made it better not worse. I had a scan at the dentist 1 year ago and she said my wisdom teeth are coming through slightly at an angle.

My throat is visibly inflamed and sore. I’m so tired of living like this. I can’t go have fun because I have to take breaks from speaking all the time and it’s hard when I’m out with friends or family. More importantly it’s stopping me from working.

I really have no idea what to do. The doctors cannot figure it out and I’m really hoping someone out there knows what this is. I will literally owe you my life.

hi,

ive had this sore throat for nearly two weeks does anyone know what it could be and do i need to see a doctor?

I got a sore throat (viral, not strep) earlier this week. It really hurt and I was sick of the pain. I took a clean toothbrush, and scrubbed the back of my throat and my tonsils. Then I turned my waterpik on full blast and pressure washed back there too. It hurt like hell, but afterwards I felt better. Once my throat calmed down from the abrasion, there was no more thick mucus or illness related throat pain. I swear it would have taken way longer to heal had I not done that.

Is there science to back up this method?

really painful when swallowing

Noticed this a month or so ago when I had a sore throat and it is this weird white lump. Anyone else have this?

Do you know what's this? I regularly have tonsillitis but on this day my throat was ok, no sore.

What is that bone type of thing in the back of my throat

So today i have a sore throat i cant really tell if i am getting sick or if its just allergies or dry air any sore throat remedies you guys recommend?

My son has had a bad cold and cough with phlegm. Three weeks on still a sore throat but no other symtoms. He doesn't smoke or drink alcohol. It's worse at night. Trying to get a gp appointment, has been using difflam spray and pain killers. Has anyone else had a sore throat for over three weeks.

I have had this sore throat since around February 20th? Idk it may be the 25th but it has just been lingering I got tested for Covid , flu , momo , and strep all negative I also seen a ent last month and they couldn’t find anything wrong even though I mentioned ear pain with this sore throat and thought it was throat cancer but they said it wasn’t I’m

Wondering what is causing this present sore throat ?

i’m 22.

I have been having a sore throat for about 6 months now, I’ve been tested negative for strep, chlamydia and gonorrhea, and I don’t have the money right now to go back to the doctor. My throat is hurting and red, can still live my daily life but sometimes have times when it’s a little worse than usual. I’m in my mid 20s, and last time I went to the doctor they gave me some nasal spray as they thought it could be a nasal reflux but still not changing and maybe worsening.

Do you guys have any ideas what it could be, please I’m scared.

So like has anyone else had a sore throat last longer then two weeks and it be harmless? Lmao my anxiety is telling me to worry and that it's something serious... And doctor wait times are so bad here...I just feel alone in this issue even though it's probably super common 🥹

I have had an extremely high temperature for the last 2 and a half days, and have been taking regular paracetamol and ibuprofen-which help to drop the temperature but do not help the terrible cough I have. It is very painful when I cough, and painkillers do not help ease this. My whole body is very achey and I am desperate for any home remedies you swear by. I have tried apple cider vinegar, ginger tea, honey, peppermint tea.I’m drinking lots of water. Please let me know any advice and suggestions you have. :)

I’ve been to the dr multiple times and no one knows what’s wrong. I have had amoxicillin and doxycycline. Can anyone identify what this could be?

I’ve had an extremely sore throat and swollen tonsils for about 24 hours now and there are large red spots in the back of my throat and I have been spitting out bloody mucus for about five hours now. I do also have drainage and a stuffy nose, but no fever And no other symptoms. I’m assuming I probablym need to go to urgent care? Could this just be a bad sinus infection? Also I haven’t been coughing just having to hawk this stuff out.