Anterior Throat Pain Differential Diagnoses

Diferential Diagnoses

• Gastro-oesophageal reflux and laryngo-oesophageal reflux
• Soft tissue injuries
• Occult cervical spine fracture or instability
• Tumours of the neck, hypopharynx, or lung apex.
• Sialadenitis
• Odontogenic pain
• Temporomandibular Dysfunction
• Ernest Syndrome
• Eagle's Syndrome
• Carotid artery syndrome
• Hyoid Bone Syndrome
• Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor Syndrome
• Omohyoid Syndrome
• Hyoid muscle dystonia
• Oesophageal tear
• Thyroglossal duct cyst
• Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia

Comparison

Comparison of Symptoms of Disorders that Produce Anterior Throat Pain

Symptoms	Ernest Syndrome	Eagle's Syndrome	Carotid Artery Syndrome	Hyoid Bone Syndrome	Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor Syndrome
TMJ Pain	X			X	X
Otalgia	X	X		X	X
Temporal pain	X	X	X	X	X
Eye pain	X
Pharyngeal pain	X	X	X	X	X
Odontalgia	X			X
Foreign body feeling		X		X
Mandibular pain	X
Vertigo			X
Dysphagia		X	X	X	X

Cervical Spine

Cervical discs and various myofascial structures can also refer pain to the anterior neck.