Ryobi, What the others have said is all good. Keep in mind that there are many many things other than cancer that could cause the symptoms you mention. If you have thrush it could explain all of them. If you are prone to biting your tongue (that can happen while sleeping) that could be part of it. Cancer is really quite rare. That said, the ONLY way you can confirm that it is or is not cancer is by a biopsy of the tissues.

Given that this has been ging on for a while you need to get it looked at and resolved. Sometimes you need to be persistant to get the doctors to follow up. Please BE PERSISTANT until you get it resolved. Call today and if the ENT you have seen blows it off again, call another. If you have to, get to a larger city with more options for doctoring. Small town doctors may not have the experience necessary to get this resolved. After you get competant care, let us know what the result was.

There is nothing we like to hear more than "the biopsy was negitive" when someone comes here with a new post.

Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.