So I have posted before, but I am still searching for answers. About a year ago i felt fullness in the left side of my neck, and noticed a small hard lymph node behind my mandible. This flared up about three months ago, however the lymph node has not really changed in size at all. I began to get a sore throat, however, and a week later my tongue began to go numb off and on on the same side.

Among my prodding and poking around my neck and jaw, I discover a strange extremely hard mass between my mastoid and mandible, just below my ear on that side. Now yesterday I was sticking my finger in my throat and noticed a small lump between the base of my tongue and my epiglottis right where the pain I get while swallowing is.

I also feel that the lymph node under my chin seem to be pretty enlarged, but its hard really to tell. They are definitely palpable.

I have been scoped twice, and had a CT scan. They will not tell me what the mass under my ear is and it does not protrude visibly, and they say that there was nothing irregular in the CT aside from the one lymph node behind my jaw which they still said was not a concern.

I want to believe them that nothing is wrong, but I am concerned seeing how often BOT cancer is missed. The doctors don't even seem to take me seriously anymore. My last ENT visit, he didn't even look in my mouth. I don't know how to get them to actually evaluate me correctly. It's difficult for me to even get an appointment anymore. I don't know what to do, but I know my body and something is not right.

Welcome "back" to the forum. What kind of "scope" did you have? I'm new to the forum myself, so I still have a lot to learn.

Have you seen different ENT's or is this lack of attention/concern coming from just one doctor?

Good luck

I have seen three different ENTs now. The first two used a laryngoscope through my nostril(s) into my throat. How was your tumor discovered?

Another question I had was if the cancer had metastasized in the lymph nodes, would something turn up on a complete blood count, C-Reactive Protein, or Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate test? A number of the lymph nodes in my neck, chin and should feel swollen/hard, and I have pain in my clavicle, but all my blood tests have been perfectly normal.

It might be incredibly difficult to do but I suggest not touching your neck for a couple weeks and trying some allergy medication and anti inflammatories and seeing how it feels. It's easy to get things swollen in there by poking and prodding. Trust me I know

Hi Jon,

There are a few folks on this forum that have been seen multiple times. Most have sought the opinion of several different doctors and ENTs, been scoped, poked, prodded, scanned and tested and some even biopsied. The results have been negative like yours. I know for me, I would have been jumping for joy had I gotten the results you have and given your age, I'd be out and about and living large I assure you!

There comes a time when you have to accept the opinions of trained professionals. Sticking your finger down your throat and constantly prodding and squeezing your neck and gland is not helping.

The anxiety your feeling due to thinking about this being oral cancer can be detrimental and cause issues and complications that aggravate your overall health. As this has gone on for a year and several doctors have given you a clean bill of health, I suggest you discuss your fears with your GP and have him recommend someone you can speak to about this.

Good Luck, positive thoughts and prayers.

I wish I had your confidence in these health care professionals. My only other experience with an ongoing issue was my complaining of ankle pain after two metatarsal fractures. I was given a clean bill of health for 3 years. My MRI was reviewed a radiologist and multiple doctors. Finally one doctor took the time to sit down and really review it and found a bone chip the size of my finger nail.

I had to be diligent there when my only complaint was discomfort. I will continue to be diligent now, as it could impact my life. I have been given a clean bill of health for a year, yet my symptoms continue to worsen and expand.

I woke up today and the back of my hand, thumb, and index finger are numb. Is there any nerve damage associated with this kind of numbness?

[quote=Jon W]I woke up today and the back of my hand, thumb, and index finger are numb. Is there any nerve damage associated with this kind of numbness? [/quote]

Hi Jon,

Please read this:

Numbness or tingling in hands and feet

What you feel:

You feel pins and needles in your hands and feet, or other parts of your body. Sometimes you get a feeling like a particular area of your body is numb or frozen. Other times you may feel a burning sensation in your arms, legs or face.

What causes this:

Since the nervous system conveys touch sensations to the brain, when the nervous system is over stimulated, it can sometimes send impaired information which will often be felt as a numbness, tingling or pins and needles. For example, when an individual pinches a nerve they usually feel the results of this as numbness or tingling in a certain part of the body.

Because the entire skin area of the body is touch sensitive (nerves cells connected to the brain through the nervous system network), any part of the skin or body can feel numb, tingly or as pins and needles.

Typically this sensation comes and goes, and will affect a wide range of body areas off and on. It's nothing to be concerned with and will subside once the nervous system gets sufficient rest.


This is a symptom of anxiety. IMO, based on your posts, this is something that's worth looking into.

Good luck! Positive thoughts and prayers.

"T"

Anxiety Symptoms

Jon W, blood tests really do not show HNSCC. There is an antigen test for Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and there are proteins that are expressed higher in HNC, and HPV, but believe these tests are expensive, and not readily used. CEA levels can be used to monitor recurrent cancer in SCCHN, after surgery, but I don't know about initial diagnosis, but there would be more proof than than, and none of these should be relied on solely, and only a biopsy can tell if its cancer or not. If you want to know what the CT showed, get a written copy, and while you're at it, ask if a copy of the CD for your records, and future reference.. A fine needle aspirational biopsy, FNAB, can be easily done on a palpable node, usually done under ultra sound, in 10 minutes, is more accurate than any other scan on the nodes, and the sample can tell if it's cancer or not and other histology, and may even be told on spot or next day after confirmation what it may be. As far as the numbess, could be anything. Is it your left arm, like a heart condition, diabetes? Keep going to the doctor(s) until you get answers. A swollen node for that long duration is not normal, but doesn't mean it's cancer, and could be an infection, cyst, salivary gland, blocked duct, etc. Good luck.