burning, tingling, stinging nasal passages and throat?

[Stills]

I have a chronic rheumatoid disease of AI nature and other AI conditions however apart from pain relief I’m free of serious arthritis meds. A persistent symptom of my condition is sore throats and I’ve had one 75% of the time since my mid 20s, I’m 63 soon.

I’m providing this as background information.

Two years ago after severe emotional trauma I developed all sorts of new symptoms and had a cancer scare.

No cancer has been found; other things have been and are mild and controlled.

I take a PPI for a gastric issue that started two years ago but only when needed as it causes headaches.

I take an anti sickness med associated with migraine and vertigo but very infrequently.

I have been on HRT for about 13 years without problems.

Earlier this year I developed a hacking cough but no cold, it lasted two months. In the last 6 weeks my throat and nasal passages have started burning.

I have no known allergies, have not started using or eating anything new and although I have sore dry eyes associated with RA I don’t have hay fever as far as I know.

Thinking this could be acid reflux from my GI issues I started taking the PPI again , Omeprazole buts it making no difference to this burning.

I’m experiencing strange tastes and smells but don’t have a cold or virus and apart from expected RA pain and normal symptoms like afternoon crash I don’t feel any worse than usual.

Any ideas about what could be causing this burning please. Could it be caused by peripheral neuropathy which has been playing up recently?

My mouth feels so hot I breath fire on St George’s day for the dragon 🐉

[Slinkyminx]

could it be hay fever? My husband suffers terribly. No itchy eyes or the normal symptoms but does get burning in nasal passages and throat. Worth a thought ?

[Stills in reply to Slinkyminx]

Thanks for your reply , it started about 6/8 weeks ago so maybe a bit early for hay fever but you never know what blooms early that it could be. I’ve been thinking of trying an antihistamine, although it doesn’t itch, just to see if it works. It doesn’t get worse outside either just a continuous burn.

[Slinkyminx in reply to Stills]

My husband is suffering terribly inside and out. Worth trying an antihistamine. Nothing to loose. Good luck

[Blackberrywine in reply to Stills]

Tree pollen has been really high (depending where you are) I suffer around this time every year.

[Stills in reply to Blackberrywine]

Cambridgeshire, I think it’s worth trying antihistamine just to see if it works, thank you . Another reply suggests Oral lichen Planus which is a light bulb moment for me as I have a diagnosis of Lichen Sclerosus already and don’t know why I didn’t think of it. I also have a strange collection of warty/ moley skin lesions on my torso which GP says are age spots. I’m sure some are but they itch like hell and appear in patterns so definitely more than age spots especially as they started when I was 26!

[Blackberrywine in reply to Stills]

Ah OK. I know nothing about lichen sclerosis. Sounds possible. My doc never knows what my rashes are, unless I have a flare up of psoriasis.

Good luck.

[Trec in reply to Stills]

I have loads of these so called age spots or Senile keratosis and yes, they can itch sometimes. They’re the same thing as Solar keratosis and are caused by the sun hence why you can have them when younger. I had them when I was in my 30s too and I’m in my 80s now, I hate them and used to feel very self conscious about them but now I just accept them. Unless you notice definite changes they aren’t a health issue. You can have them privately removed but I have far too many to contemplate this.

Re an allergy - Some early bloomers like daffodils are a known cause as are tree pollens, especially Birch. I am allergic to both.

[Stills in reply to Trec]

Thank you for your reply. I’m going to start with an antihistamine and see what happens. Re age spots/moles/warty skin lesions; I paid £800 or so about 15 years ago to have some removed but they’ve grown back. If I had them all removed I’d be well slim though 😀

[springcross]

It could be one of many things - maybe silent reflux which can be such a pig, sinusitis or some other infection. Maybe see your GP for a diagnosis, but when you feel like that, Monday seems a long way away doesn't it! Hope you feel better soon.

[Stills in reply to springcross]

Thanks for your reply, no chance of seeing anyone at the surgery, it’s been present for about 6 -8 weeks, not getting any worse. I’m taking a PPI for gastric issues so reflux a good suggestion except that the med doesn’t stop it. I have no face pain so doubt sinus infection but can’t be sure. I wondered if it was a post Covid symptom and that the cough I had for weeks was in fact Covid, who know but thanks for your time.

[springcross in reply to Stills]

Ah, post Covid, you could be right there!

[Kate2628]

Hi Stills, l had a so called virus in February, dry cough puffy eyes, also lost my hearing , Dr said sinusitis , two lots of antibiotics did nothing, l had no pain, just the hearing which is just getting a bit better, hearing test results Were profound deafness is fight ear and server lose in left ear, , it was quite frightening as lve always had such good hearing, don’t really understand it, my daughter had it as well but not for long, taking steroid nose drops at the moment to clear my Eustachian tubes which are blocked and causing the deafness, had to go private to see ENT consultant.

[Stills in reply to Kate2628]

Interesting thank you, I am experiencing tinnitus so ear involvement is possible, I have also read that Stills can affect the ears so I’ll look into this. Thanks for sharing and hope your both having better days now.

[Bon1]

my husband has all these symptoms (minus cough) with oral lichen planus. Any skin changes in mouth?

Bon X

[Stills in reply to Bon1]

Ah, I have lichen sclerosus of the vulva, mild but controlled by steroid ointment which I use once a week.

The back of my throat is always red and angry looking with visible white or yellow patches on both sides, the roof of my mouth is yellow with little red dots, my tongue can be furry. However this is usual for me and my throat is like this 75% if the time if not more. Medics have seen it and dismissed it, an endoscopy found nothing when looking for other things a few years ago.

My dentist told me there’s evidence I grind my teeth which is a new development.

I never thought of oral lichen Planus thank you for your reply, what’s the treatment?

[Bon1 in reply to Stills]

Hi stills

That description sounds quite a lot like lichen planus! My husband had YEARS of talking about tooth ache/ gum ache/ ulcers before a dentist referred him on a 2 week wait pathway (that was an anxious time!) . Might be worth seeing a maxofacillary (that might not be the right work) consultant and ruling it out… treatment is steroids mouthwash and apparently avoiding stress . The impossibility of this makes me laugh!! Hope this helps

Bon x

[Stills in reply to Bon1]

Thanks again, I’m going to start with anti histamine (as the easiest route) and see if that helps. If not I’ll try the mouth wash and/or nasal spray available OTC. I have had a soft tissue growth in my mouth for about 30 years, like a bit of strawberry stuck between the teeth, it got large and was removed in hospital about 20 years ago but has grown back in exactly the same place.

If no joy then I’ll start the process of trying to see GP but that could take until Xmas.

It’s possible it’s linked to my RD but remedy is the same … steroids.

Thank you

[Haz58]

I had burning in my mouth and furry tongue and cough. It was oral thrush. Nystatin sorted it for me. I always get it after antibiotics or prednisolone.

[Stills in reply to Haz58]

Thanks for your reply, I did used to get vaginal thrush after antibiotics years ago so worth looking at although I’ve not had any antibiotics for many years and I’m not taking oral pred but I do use a steroid cream for vulval lichen sclerosus so is it possible this cream could be deemed responsible? I only use it sparingly when it flares and then only for a day or two at most as caution is advised.

[Haz58 in reply to Stills]

Not sure to be honest. Worth seeing your GP to see if it is oral thrush.

[Stills in reply to Haz58]

Agreed thank you

[greenveggies]

I can only suggest that if you have GI issues and perhaps GERD you go on an ant acid diet instead of taking PPI. There is a fantastic book about the surprising symptoms of GERD, called the Acid watcher diet by Jonathon Aviv. I got it for my son who was having headaches and various problems. Following this diet cured him. I also followed a fascinating discussion of Dr Campbell on youtube with another doctor discussing histamine intolerance which is another little known problem causing a whole load of issues.

[Stills in reply to greenveggies]

Thank you for your reply. I take the PPI omeprazole as little as possible as it causes me headaches and I’m aware of the risk of mineral and vitamin deficiency. It was prescribed February 23 when I suddenly became ill with new symptoms. Initially GP said H-pylori but negative, Caeliac also negative. Scopes looking for cancer after flagged in bloods found none. However new symptoms persist so eventually insisted they test for my known rheumatoid condition of Stills which is rare and unknown to my GP but no raised markers. RA can apparently affect digestive organs.

My own reading leads me to consider thyroid problems and I admit mine is enlarged. NHS tests for thyroid are very unreliable and are considered pointless by the thyroid community here. Thyroid issues can cause stomach acid issues and deficiencies if not absorbing etc etc so either it’s GERD, Oral Lichen Planus or an allergy. Thanks for the tip about the book I’ll look it up.

[mld78]

hi

Apart from the HRT I am you! I also get a sore inside of my nose!

I really hope you get someone to listen and think with you about what is happening

Medics did an MRI scan of my head today, and I have a neurologist appointment on 1st May. I was on Methotrexate until January 2024, and since stopping it all my body is attacking itself apart from for once my ESR and CRP levels are low. Since I was a teenager my RA has been active. Now my GP is hoping it’s not MS. But all i want is something to ease all the silly symptoms which aren’t RA.

[Pigsearwawa]

I have Sjorgrens syndrome which causes me to have a dry throat and dry eyes.

[Stills in reply to Pigsearwawa]

I also have dry eyes, dies you throat and nose ‘burn’?

[Pigsearwawa in reply to Stills]

Yes they do. The treatment is the same as the treatment for RA plus some rye drops. I hope that you soon begin to feel better.

[Stills in reply to Pigsearwawa]

Interesting as I’m not on RA meds again …….. yet. I’ve felt a gradual worsening of Stills symptoms over the last two years whilst the cancer and other new health issues were investigated. I think it’s probably time I started the process of getting prescribed an RA medication. I think it’s fair to say most of my new symptoms could be attributable to Stills and it’s time to get GP to acknowledge that and stop looking for and finding other things so she can dismiss me with some random script for something I can manage without. Thanks for your response and I wish you good days.