First, let me say that all of you on this forum are great. I've been reading through many posts. Let me also say that at this point, I haven't been diagnosed with cancer. But, it is has been a hard two and half months.

I live in Japan (I'm American, 38 years old). Since two months ago, my right ear has been what I would describe as stopped up, and occasionally, but not consistently, painful. On top of this, my voice is slightly changed, and I have to clear my throat a lot. Everything has been on the right side. I have a relatively small swollen lymph node on right side under corner of jaw bone...seems to move when I swallow. It's about 1cm or so. Finally, I am 100% certain I have gotten high risk HPV in the past -- so I guess that means I have it forever...

I've been examined by a few doctors here, and the best one (the only one I see now) has scoped me and felt around my mouth and says there is nothing. He has given me anti-inflammatory medicine because he says my right tonsil is inflamed. Also gave me some kind of mucus thinning medicine because he says mucus is causing voice problems.

All I know is that it is all on the right side (where I have been getting frequent sore throats for the past few years), and
my ear especially is not getting better.

I keep seeing people describe ear pain...but I don't know if what I have is pain. It is much more that I can't pop my ear open. I would think there is fluid or something in the middle ear...but then, maybe it's not my ear, but my throat causing the problems? I don't know.

I don't know what to do. The doctor I am seeing now gave me more anti-inflammatory medicine last week and said come back in two weeks if it stays the same, and then he would send me for an MRI (because I requested a scan). It's been a week, and since things are not improving, I'm going crazy.

I just don't know what to do. The worry has been consuming me. I've stopped looking at my throat and feeling my neck because the worry is keeping me from sleeping. I'm try to ignore it all, but the fact that it is not getting better (though not necessarily worse) after two and half months has brought me here.

I'm sorry to trouble you as I know many of you have been through having cancer, but especially with the fact that I am in Japan and it seems no doctors have heard anything about HPV being a risk for oral cancer, it is really tough.

I just don't know...maybe even an MRI is not the next right step? Should I try to get a PET scan? It is expensive...but...I would do anything to find out if this is the beginning of cancer, or if it is somehow it a place the doctor has not sufficiently checked.

Any advice is very welcome. I applaud all of you on this board supporting each other, and thank you for any help or advice you might give.