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[Jud22]

I'm 56, 3 years post menopause. Last year I had a nasal endoscopy (camera up nose and down throat). I found it incredibly painful and the after effects awful - couldn't breathe through my nose, felt like I couldn't swallow properly, ended up in A&E 48 hrs after procedure.

Ever since the scope I've had a weird sensation in my soft palate, like it's stuffed with cotton wool on one side and drooling, hard to describe but I'm hyperaware of it 24/7. I've since seen 2 ENTs and an oral maxillofacial surgeon, all said the scope wouldn't cause damage and that my soft palate looks normal.

I have 2 questions: first, can anyone relate to this sensation and/or had this procedure and it was painful?

Second, I had a nasal endoscopy in my 40s too and it was painless with no after effects, performed by same ENT. Could it be that postmeno the tissue is thinner and more sensitive hence the pain and discomfort during procedure?

I should add that while the scope was painful this time, the soft palate sensation is completely painless, just annoying and making it hard to focus on anything else. I do suffer from sensorimotor OCD which makes it even harder to get past.

Grateful for any feedback. Thanks!

[CLKD]

I cringe at the very thought of this procedure. 

Firstly your soft palate looks OK.  U R correct in that tissues do thin as we age, due to a loss of oestrogen in some instances.  It mayB that the sensation is real with no obvious causation and u r over sensitive = continual focussing.  Does it keep u awake ?

[Jud22]

No, it doesn't interfere with my sleep at all. It's a hyperawareness of that part of my mouth that I never noticed before the scope. No pain. Sometimes it feels like the soft palate is sagging, other times as if something is stuck on it , like globus sensation but in the soft palate not throat.
Yet when I examine it in the mirror there's nothing to see which is why I asked ENT about nerve damage.

I wonder if the scope activated a silent reflux issue, that's the only other thing I can think of other than it being psychological, like my brain is replicating the trauma from the scope.

[CLKD]

It may B a defence mechanism as the throat is very susceptible to bugs and foreign bodies etc..

At least it doesn't keep U awake so it isn't 'serious' but very annoying because the brain focusses on very little else!

Have U dried sucking sweets 2 C if that helps the sensation?  There are some for 'dry throat' syndrome-type sensations, of course Meno-brain here can't remember the name 

[Jud22]

Thanks CLKD. It's a very weird niche sensation more at the back of the roof of mouth on one side rather than the throat. I worry constantly that the scope did some damage somehow especially as from what I've read the nasal endoscopy shouldn't hurt and get it did.

I have to remind myself that 3 specialists have since looked at my soft palate and they've never heard of such a procedure causing nerve damage. Also, my palate sensation is painless. Surely if damage occured it would be painful. Of course my OCD brain refuses to accept any of this.

I sometimes chew gum to keep my mouth busy but hyper focusing on the sensation is making me really depressed. I even wondered if I should repeat the procedure. I asked a doctor as much and he advised against, saying he thought it would cause unnecessary suffering. It's wrecking my mental health though.

I have a severely disabled child who needs 24/7 care yet my brain focuses on this!!!

[CLKD]

What support do U have for your child? 

Any stress will exacerbate some sensations.  I think that if there had been real damage it would have become problematic B4 now, U probably think this too.

Get rid of the 'gum' chewing and buy some sweeties.  Not something that will cause tooth decay  . 

[getting_old]

I've had the scope done several times. The worst time was when they'd used a numbing spray but the "trainee" did the procedure    plus things were also very swollen and tender too.
I never experienced any of the after effects or feelings you're describing.

[Jud22]

Re support for my disabled child, it's minimal, he's 15, profoundly autistic, severe learning disabilities, nonverbal, double incontinence. He's in a special school and spends 2 nights a month in respite centre.  think i've probably been in fight or flight mode the last 15 years, sleep deprived and nervous system spent! I also have severe tinnitus.

Getting_old, was the swelling and soreness in your throat, nose or soft palate/uvula? I keep thinking about people who have had multiple NG tubes inserted without trauma yet I can't get past this one scope and the associated sensation.

[CLKD]

Tinnitus can be caused by stress; having spent too many nights listening to loud music; peri-menopause.  Mine is behind my head somehow.

U need support! Unless we shout - in all areas of 'care' - we remain unheard 

[getting_old]

Re support for my disabled child, it's minimal, he's 15, profoundly autistic, severe learning disabilities, nonverbal, double incontinence. He's in a special school and spends 2 nights a month in respite centre.  think i've probably been in fight or flight mode the last 15 years, sleep deprived and nervous system spent! I also have severe tinnitus.

Getting_old, was the swelling and soreness in your throat, nose or soft palate/uvula? I keep thinking about people who have had multiple NG tubes inserted without trauma yet I can't get past this one scope and the associated sensation.

Swelling was pretty much everywhere    I had an NG tube too for several weeks before the cameras but was on so many meds I wouldn't have noticed any strange feelings.

I know a lot of people who've been scoped every 3-6 months and whilst no one is a fan of the procedure I've not seen any mention of the sensations you mention. That said many of them may not have soft / hard palates.

[Jud22]

Minusminnie, CLKD, getting_old, thanks for replying.
My tinnitus presents as 24/7 static/white noise that fills my head, loud and annoying, but hey I'll take it over the soft palate sensation.

Not tried meditation, I did several months of NHS talking therapy but I don't respond well to CBT type intervention. I get that I need to refocus my brain away from this sensation. I will look into mindfulness and self help books. See if I can rewire my brain somehow or train myself to stop caring about it.

Yes I keep thinking about people with ng tubes for weeks when I had the scope for a mere few minutes. I started to catastrophise today that maybe the pressure of the scope caused internal scarring of the soft palate hence the altered oral sensation. Can't carry on beating myself up about having that procedure though, it's terrible for my mental health.

[getting_old]

Is it the odd feeling that is bothering you, or the fact that there could be some nerve damage, or that it could be something serious? If all of the specialists are saying everything is normal then hopefully it's not the latter. Is there another way, not a scope, that they could check for nerve damage - Xray / CT / MRI? Maybe getting something like that would address your worries, and if there is nerve damage your doctor could prescribe something to help?

[Jud22]

What bothers me most is the worry that the scope has caused damage. Since the globus/weird sensation is mainly on the rhs of my soft palate and scope was inserted in my right nostril and I didn't have this sensation before the scope, it's hard to think otherwise.

That being said, 2 GPs, 3 ENTs and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon as well as a dentist have never heard of such a side effects of the scope. i suppose I could ask a GP if he's prepared to refer me for any of the tests you mention but I suspect, as I have OCD, he would tend towards treating it as psychological.

The funny thing is, if I hadn't had the scope and found it so traumatic and painful, and this sensation had just appeared without a trigger, it wouldn't bother me half as much as I wouldn't be beating myself up about having the scope!

I've exchanged some messages with a woman who has had an irritated soft palate and found black seed oil calmed it down. Maybe worth a try too.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions!