Anyone have a sore throat with radiation?

matsgirlie

I have had a sore throat for about a week now and am being told that it is not residual radiation but i have my doubts. i have no other symptoms of a cold just this scratchy throat. would love to know if anyone else experienced this. I am two weeks into radiation. Thank you.

Moderators

Hi matsgirlie,

We're sure others will be weighing in soon with their thoughts and advice, but radiation therapy is listed as a side effect on the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Sore Throat as a side effect. Check out the link for some helpful tips to help manage this side effect!

We hope this helps!

--The Mods

elimar86861

I got a little burned in the lower esophagus.  The rads techs told me that when they said to turn my head to the side, I really needed to turn it all the way.  That helped what I was experiencing.  Yours sounds a bit different.  At this time of year, all or part of it may even be allergies.  The BCO tips already linked above should give you some relief. 

Sunshineinky

Hi Matsgirl I had a sore throat my second week and it lasted about 5 days.  It went away as quickly as it started.  I asked my RO and she vehemently denied it had anything to do with radiation.  She said that they were nowhere near my throat.  I mentioned it to my techs and now I turn my head as far as I can possibly get it to the left while getting treatment.  My treatment is to the right breast.  

elimar86861

Haha!  They don't want to admit that it is rads but they know right away to have you turn your head away further.

matsgirlie

Interesting! thank you for the replies so far. The moderators on here sent me to a page that states that sore throats can be a symptom of radiation. I do not have allergies nor have ever had them. My doctors also told me my lump was nothing to worry about and i went for a year and half believing them and my mammogram that came back normal. im more cynical nowadays. lol. so love to hear everyone's opinion on this.

KAT4856

matsgirlie

I had 6 weeks of radiation and I had a sore throat a couple of times during my treatment. The RO told me that it was a normal side affect of radiation. That sometimes the radiation field may touch the esophagus area, but that is was nothing to worry about. I have been done with my radiation for about two weeks now and have not had a sore throat. Hope this helps.

Marlenelin

It is definitely the radiation that is causing my severe sore throat and the feeling of a lump in my throat. My RO says he is treating my breast, neck, underarm, and clavicle very aggressively as he feels there is a 20% chance that th lymph nodes in my neck may be malignant since I had 14 malignant lymph nodes removed from my underarm. He has given me magic mouthwash but it offers no relief. He also gave me oxycodone but all that does is wipe me out. Haven't been able to take down any solids in two weeks. 16 treatments down, and 12 more to go. Hating this.

reflect

Hi, I had a sore throat during the first 2 weeks of rads and they said, yes, it could be the rads as they were near the throat (clavicle). Hope it goes away soon as mine did.

KBeee

I had a sore throat throughout rads, and survived by eating soft foods and a lot of smoothies and cold things. I did lose a few pounds, which I did not want to lose. My throat felt better soon after rads, but my reflux worsened recently (a year later) so my GI doc scheduled an endoscopy because he said rads can damage the esophagus