Throat and ear pain with LPR (Help)

Digestive health
1

Hi everyone, I’ve just signed up to this forum as I’ve been reading a few posts and wanted to share my experience .

I woke up with painful throat at the beginning of January, it originally seemed like a bad throat from a cold so didn’t give it much thought,  4 weeks later and the pain was still there so went to dr who prescribed me antibiotics.

It was still there 2 weeks later so went back to dr who sent me to ent specialist I had camera up the nose and down the throat and an MRI, the MRI was fine but camera showed signs of LPR to larynx area, I was prescribed omezprazole, by this time the pain had intensified to a very sharp pain in throat and ear but soon an aching pain started as well as the sharp pain, after taking omezprazole for 3 weeks the sharp pain stopped and I didn’t have any pain (even an ache) for 3 days.

So once they diagnosed me with LPR they prescribed me lansoprazole, which I have been taking 30mg twice a day (morning and night before food)

I’ve always had sinus and ear issues with popping ears and post nasel drip  which I was told was due to allergies, and I’m always throat clearing along with a persistent cough, but again DR’s have said it’s allergy related which may not be the case if I have indeed got LPR .

So I’m taking lansoprazole and gaviscon advance and the pain is just so intense kind of like a nerve kind of pain you get with teeth. I can’t believe LPR can cause this kind of pain but I’m no doctor, I used to get a bit of heartburn in the past but nothing too bad although I do burp rather a lot.

I’ve devieded to change my diet by cutting out dairy and I’ve stopped drinking alcohol and coffee to see if anything helps but it’s only been a week so no change yet.

I’m a singer in a band and this is causing serious issues for me, just wanna be pain free but 3 months on and I seem to be getting worse, paracetamol doesn’t touch the pain and codeine only just takes the edge of it so not sure where to go from here!

Does this sound like LPR to you guys?

Thanks in advance

2

Anyone?? 😞

3

Hey there

Your symptoms sound very similar to my own:

- throat clearing

- persistent cough

- throat pain/soreness

- ear pain

- post nasal drip

Similarly to you, I had these symptoms that have lasted week after week. Doctors tried antibiotics, which did not really help at all. The ENT I saw did an endoscopy + CT Scan and concluded my symptoms were reflux related and put me on Omenzaprole 40mg.

From what I have read and from what the ENT told me, it is entirely possible for reflux to affect your ears, yes. I am often having ear pain, though perhaps not as intensely as you are. That was one of the first things I told the ENT. He checked my ears and said they looked fine and that the pain was likely referred pain from my throat.

You mentioned that you are a singer in a band. Has your voice suffered because of the constant throat clearing and coughing and soreness/inflammation of your larynx? Over the months I have been dealing with this, my voice has often been hoarse and raspy at times. How about you?

Cheers

4

I was diagnosed with LPR 10 years ago. I think I now have fully blown gerd although I'm on lots of meds. I did a bit of singing and that's when I first noticed it in the voice.

inseen a few singers on here just wondering if your are trained singer; if not could we straining our voice to the point it is affecting our oesophagus?

I get a lot of the same symptoms as you and I take meds. PPI/ Zantac Gavescon.  

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Hi NC10

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah our symptoms do sound pretty much the same but as I was always told it was due to allergies I’ve never been on meds’ for LPR or GERD.

My voice has been affected over the years but that is probably down to the way I sing I’m a bit of a shouter tbh (a bit like Liam Gallagher) 😝

The band split 6 years ago and I have not been doing any singing until late last year we got together for a friends wedding in November then this pain started in January so not sure if it’s linked or not?

We are back practicing for a few gigs we have booked but since the pain started I haven’t been singing at practice.

I still find it strange that the muscle like pain in my throat can be from LPR as it’s not a burning pain like most people mention but I’ll keep taking the meds, eating better etc and see what happens before I go back and speak to dr again. I have received a letter from hospital for a vocal coach/speech therapy so hopefully that’ll help too?

Thanks again

6

Hi John

Thanks for the message.

No I’m not a trained singer and was touring in my band for 6 years and we split 6 years ago and only got back to do a friends wedding last year but when the pain started in January I wasn’t doing any singing so not sure if it’s that or not?

Have an appointment booked to see a vocal coach/speech therapist at my local hospital that the ent team have arranged for me so we shall see what they have to say.

Thanks for your message