Pain in the throat: common causes and a rare clinical observation

Undoubtedly, the most common cause of pain in the throat (pharyngoalgia) is acute or chronic diseases of the pharynx and most often with such a complaint patient turn to a general practitioner, pediatrician or otorhinolaryngologist. However, it should be remembered that, in addition to inflammation there are many other possible etiologic factors of pain in the throat, from diseases of nearby organs to systemic diseases and psychoneurological disorders. The problem of polyetiology of pain in the throat becomes more relevant when a doctor deals with an elderly patient and it is necessary to keep in mind the concomitant pathology usually occurring in this group of patients as well as the effects of therapy which the patient takes including on a regular basis. The article describes a case of a patient's initial visit to an otorhinolaryngologist for acute (within 3 days) throat pain the cause of which was thrombosis of the internal jugular vein probably as a complication after treatment of oncologic disease. Timely examination made it possible to detect this complication in the patient, to prescribe the necessary treatment and thus to avoid its severe consequences.