Welcome, Guest. Please Login
YaBB - Yet another Bulletin Board
  News:
  HomeHelpSearchLogin  
 
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
RLR enlighten me please. (Read 4452 times)
angiebaby
Gold Forum Member
****
Offline



Posts: 261
england
Gender: female
RLR enlighten me please.
Jul 10th, 2007, 10:16am
 
Only me again.  I was just wondering about the actual mri scan pictures.  The neurosurgeon never showed them to me, he had them in front of him in the envelopes and never revealed them at all.  I would have been curious to have a quick look at what my insides looked like though.  But i was just wondering at exactly 'what' they do show.  I know that they show masses and blockages, things trapping and arteries and things.  But i had two done, one on my brain and one on my neck and i was just wondering about my neck and throat.  I have this problem with my neck, funny feeling around my voice box and windpipe.  When i was 18 i was in the amateur dramatics group and i performed a lot in Brigadoon and sang more than i ever had like that and felt like i had strained my voice box.  So for all the years since i was 18, i am now 37, i have had a funny feeling around my voice box and have always believed this to be nodules on my voice box but have never told my gp for fear of having it investigated, i am a chicken!  Now i am having this funny sensation in the front of my neck, where your 'turkey neck' is and it is quite worrying to me, i have had it for two weeks and it will not go.  I can swollow alright, even though sometimes my throat feels very dry and the food gets stuck - putting this down to anxiety though.  And feel like i need to keep drinking - tea, water or pop.  Feels better when i lift my head and neck up, like stretching it, and worse when i put my neck down, creating my 'turkey neck'.  It feels massive, as if it is swollen and everybody can see it from a far.  But when i look in the mirror it isn't that big really, just feels it.  I had felt around my windpipe with my hands and i cannot feel any lumps or anything, but then it feels even worse after i've messed around there, like i have got someone's hands round my thoat trying to throttle me, but it is all under my jaw line.  My glands do not feel swollen at all, but it is all under my jaw and all around from ear to ear.
I was wondering that if there was anything there at all, would this have shown up on the MRI scans?  So then i know that there must not be anything there really, just a horrible feeling.x
Back to top
 
 

Angiebaby.x
It take a minute to get anxiety and a lifetime to get rid of it!!
  IP Logged
RLR
YaBB Administrator
*****
Offline

Retired Physician

Posts: 2057

Gender: male
Re: RLR enlighten me please.
Reply #1 - Jul 10th, 2007, 2:36pm
 
With regard to your voice and associated strain, you are referring to vocal polyps (Reinke's edema) that can form on the external striata of the tissues. I'd be astounded if you actually had vocal polyps from your singing experience. We more rarely see these with long-term smokers who consistently engage in abuse of their vocal cords for many years. The polyps are sort of like a blister and the symptoms are almost virtually associated with hoarseness rather than any type of sensation of fullness or blockage. They are quite small indeed, but can have a dramatic impact on vocal production.

Your sensation is due to a phenomenon known as Globus Hystericus and is a very common symptom of folks with anxiety. If you'll recall my little anatomy lesson contained in the HEART PALPITATIONS postings, the larnyx is among the regions innervated by the Vagus nerve. Sensations arise that make the throat feel swollen and can actually induce panic by many patients who feel as though they are about to suffocate due to the combination of the Globus sensation and hyperventilation. It is oftentimes relieved by counter-sensations such as drinking cold or hot liquids. It's unnerving, but entirely harmless and will never actually cause you to suffocate at all.  

As for your MRI, we typically use the imaging features with contrast to determine whether, among other things, a mass or asymmetry exists and to determine whether the main arterial branches in the brain are compliant, we use an MRA and view it from a 3D perspective. Although I certainly show my patients the diagnostic films that I think are of any significance, I know many practitioners who do not because it leads them down the road of extended in-service time due to questions that amount to a crash course in imaging. It's impossible within the timeframe of an office visit to explain the various factors associated with such imaging. I narrow this corridor by only showing patients what they need to know in order to determine their relative health status. As I've mentioned on numerous postings, the vast majority of MRI scans are negative and mainly used to rule out serious disorders or conditions that we don't want to overlook in our search to determine causal factors for patient symptoms. And above all, no physician would conceal abnormalities on your diagnostic scan. Simply be thankful that the results were unremarkable to the extent that your doctor felt it unworthy of even removing them from the envelope.

You'll be just fine.

Best regards and Good Health
Back to top
 
 

Best Regards and Good Health
  IP Logged
beadbabe
Gold Forum Member
****
Offline



Posts: 561
UK
Gender: female
Re: RLR enlighten me please.
Reply #2 - Jul 11th, 2007, 7:29am
 
Hi there
I have had the funny throat feelings too - it has been there fro weeks on end, but now only from time to time. It is certainly this 'globus' thing. I know it's hard to ignore because it can be an odd feeling but don't give it the time of day as it can't harm you or interfere with any normal functioning even though it might feel like it.
bead
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
angiebaby
Gold Forum Member
****
Offline



Posts: 261
england
Gender: female
Re: RLR enlighten me please.
Reply #3 - Jul 11th, 2007, 2:24pm
 
Thankyou very much for your information and support, much appreciated.
Back to top
 
 

Angiebaby.x
It take a minute to get anxiety and a lifetime to get rid of it!!
  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print