posted
Excerpt from Dr.J. OF S.C. 'The sore throat that is not a sore throat' - What is Carotidynia? Frequently our patients describe sore throats as part of their recurring symptom complex. Often, when specifically asked, the patients note that ear pain accompanies the throat pain, but the patients often state that their primary physician can find no reason for their discomfort. In fact, on examination, there is no sign of inflammation of the throat or ear.
The condition 'carotidynia' is little known but is, in fact, common. On careful examination, one can easily detect swelling and pain at the carotid bulb, which is located just lateral to the top of the thyroid cartilage (Adam's Apple) and is the location at which the internal and external carotid arteries separate, or bifurcate.
Our theory is that this is yet another sign of inflammatory neurological disease associated with LBC, since the carotid bulb is known to be a baroreceptor, which means it plays a prominent role in monitoring blood pressure. As such, it is loaded with nerve fibers, some of which mediate pain. Since the fibers at the bulb lie in proximity to the throat and may radiate to the ear area, our patients complain of 'sore throat and earache', when in fact the throat and ear pain arise from an inflamed carotid bulb. The mediation of this pain is most likely from the Nerve of Hering, a branch of the 9th cranial nerve (glossopharyngeal nerve), and/or a branch of the superior cervical sympathetic chain.
[ 01. April 2008, 01:12 AM: Message edited by: Al ]
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
bettyg
Unregistered
posted
al, what state is THIS DR. J from? we've got many and 3 come to my mind immediately!! thanks, and perhaps you could edit your top line adding the state this dr. j is from ok!
IP: Logged |
hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
My friend with LBC (Lyme and Bartonellla & ???) was just diagnosed with this condition.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic