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Swallowing and Throat Sensations, Abnormal

Swallowing and Throat Sensations, Abnormal

Some of the more fascinating complaints associated with Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome are a variety of complaints involving the throat and swallowing. Upon careful questioning, patients will often admit to abnormal throat sensations. Their complaints are variously described but are consistent with the other symptoms of Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome in that they follow patterns of onset and resolution consistent with Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome symptoms. Sometimes they complain of the sensation of there being a “lump in their throat” or feeling as if somebody is pushing in on their throat with a pointed finger. Many times they cannot stand to have anything resting snugly around their neck. They are often bothered by tight collars, turtle necks, snugly-fitting jewelry, another person’s hand, or even the thought of anything resting against their neck. I call this “collar intolerance.” It is a very interesting complaint, considering it can be present even without any visible or palpable (“feelable”) abnormality of the patient’s neck. And, the complaint can resolve with proper thyroid treatment even without any discernible change of the patient’s neck being detected by the patient or doctor. It is difficult to explain why this symptom occurs, but I suspect it may be due to changes in pharyngeal (throat and swallowing) muscle tone resulting from MED. I feel that the decreased muscle tone leaves the patient’s neck feeling more vulnerable.

Patients do also occasionally complain of difficulty swallowing that follows typical presentation and resolution patterns of Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome symptoms. One such patient had so much difficulty swallowing that she had the misfortune one day of having a lump of mashed potatoes get stuck in her throat. Since she could not swallow it, it was necessary for her to poke a hole through the center of the mashed potatoes with her pinky finger in order to have a passage through which to breathe. This difficulty swallowing was present despite of the lack of any obvious swelling or inflammation of her thyroid gland (which, of course, is a small butterfly shaped gland at the base of the neck below the “Adam’s apple”). Yet her swallowing difficulties responded well to the WT3 protocol.

Many times such patients will undergo intensive ear, nose, and throat evaluations in search of some explanation for their complaints, with all test appearing to be within the normal range. Patients are frequently concerned about having a “tumor”, or some kind of cancer growing in their neck to explain the sensation of having a “lump” in their throat. Of course, these examinations, evaluations, and tests to rule out cancer are always advisable. However, it is interesting that no tumor growth, lump or any other anatomical abnormality can be seen with even the most sophisticated scanners, and yet, the odd sensation will frequently resolve with normalization of body temperature patterns with the WT3 protocol. Occasionally, patients will also complain of pains radiating or shooting up their neck towards their ears and may sometimes have ear pain as well.