Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist or Nurse?

Question:

For the past 3 days, my uvula has felt like it's on fire in the back of my throat, to the point that even swallowing has been difficult. I took some Claritin, and one day I took several doses of Tylenol to cut the edge of the pain. It wasn't very successful, and I switched to some half doses of Hydrocodone/APAP. That brought a little relief. Then, today, I had some wads of bloody discharge from my sinuses in the back of my throat. They had a foul taste and odor.
I assume this is some sort of sinus infection. I had no fever, but after a hot shower today it was 99.5. This has happened before, and I expect it will happen again. Is there anything different you suggest I try next time?

Answers:
In truth, no one is able to diagnose you online, not a doctor, not a nurse. Nurses, however, are qualified to make nursing diagnoses. As a licensed nurse, I'm in a far better position to advise you despite what one person said. It is possible that you have uvulitis which can be caused by allergies or infection but you need to be seen by your primary health care provider for evaluation. If your provider decides to refer you to ENT (Otolaryngology) then you'll be seen by a specialist.

A hot shower can temporarily elevate your body temperature. 99.5 is still within normal range. Next time, take your temp before the shower. And there are no sinuses located at the back of your throat so at this point there's no reason to assume any sinus cavity involvement.

And yes, Nurse Practitioners are both licensed and qualified to diagnose and write prescriptions. To "notaclue", your name says it all.

If it is a sinus infection, you need some antibiotics. If it is an allergy, you need allergy medication... Your doc can best diagnose this. There are some over the counter meds but until you know what it is, the best bet is a doctors appointment.

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Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist or Nurse?

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