Is this how bulbar starts?

[Lrichard]

Hello everyone.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I truly hope that i', being overly dramatic, but I have to ask. About three weeks ago, I started getting sick. Nothing out of the ordinary, considering its winter. I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. During this time, I felt it becoming increasingly difficulty to swallow. The muscles in my neck, under my jaw, seemed to not be working properly. I could literally feel the strain to swallow. This was also accompanied by slight discomfort.

3 weeks later, and my cough and respiratory issues have gone, but the difficult swallowing remains. I swallow food fine, but liquid seems to be a little more work. I'm not choking on anything, and I can still chug water. However, it just seems like more emphasis needs to be put on swallowing. I am a smoker, if that makes a difference. When I stick my tongue out far, it actually hurts in my glads, and I've been having some tongue twitches (Been having these for a while, maybe a year)

Does this sound like the beginnings of ALS bulbar? Should I be concerned?

Thank you.

 

[Lrichard]

The doctor said it was a upper respiratory infection. I never had problems breathing. Just had a bad cough, low grade fever, and body aches.

 

[starente15]

No need to be concerned about ALS.

 

[Lrichard]

Thank you for answering my question. Out of fear of hypochondria, I wont ask how swallowing problems present themselves. My concern is with the increasing effort it takes to swallow liquid. The problem seems to be my throat muscles. Even swallowing Salvia seems more difficulty.

 

[Lrichard]

I'm so sorry to keep coming back here with concerns. My throat feels like I need to clear it, and I have the urge to cough. Could this be me aspiring on saliva? It feels like drip almost. I'm really concerned. Is this ALS swallowing problems?

 

[ShiftKicker]

Lrichard, no one here can tell you that. Only a doctor observing your symptoms could assess what is happening, and why.

 

[Lrichard]

I realize that. I was just asking based off your expert knowledge. I'm having a gard time with this for some reason.

 

[lgelb]

You can see an ENT to rule out other pathology, but the best thing you can do to safeguard your swallowing is to quit smoking, a major cause of mouth, throat and tongue cancer.

Best,
Laurie