Head and Neck Cancer

[needhelp024]

I am a24 year old male, fresh out of college, no health insurance, and for the past three years I have been noticing lumps in the region of my lymph nodes in my neck. I have smoked cigarettes and marijuana for the past 12 years, recently giving up the cigarettes completely and cutting back on my marijuana intake considerably. Other than that, I am in overall decent shape.
I first noticed the lumps when I would feel a tremor sensation in the area and over the years they have grown considerably and I have noticed more restriction in my throat. Sometimes it feels like I might not be able to swallow anymore, like my airway might close up. I often have pain, like a mild throbbing with some tremoring. I can feel hard, movable,lumps, my left side is larger and more noticeable than my right side.
I have been to three ENT's over the past three years, received one CAT scan, and done the whole barium swallows and what not. THe CAT scan, barium swallows, and the majority of my doctor visits were in the beginning stages and the doctors weren't able to notice anything unusual. They all related it to the persistent heartburn I have been having and prescribed Prilosec, which I've been taking (it helps the heartburn) but the lumps continue to grow. One of them recommended an MRI to get a better and more comprehensive view of the area, since it is most likely soft tissue and relatively small, it did not show up in the CAT scan. I recently saw a new ENT who confirmed my lack of faith in our healthcare system by glancing over the area casually and saying everything looked fine, no scope or internal oral exam at all!!!
I know something is wrong with me. The area has been expanding towards my ear and along my jaw line with increasing pain and restriction on my airway. I really just want some professional advice on what I should do. Should I go ahead and get and MRI to find out what the problem is, I mean is that something that would definitely tell me if there is something in my neck? Also, I've researched a myriad of other things it COULD be, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions or start freaking out that I might have cancer. It could be a severe form of TMJ or even Castleman's for all I know, I just want to get it figured out and would appreciate any advice from people who know anything about the symptoms I have described above.
Thanks

[Bru3ce]

Need Help,

In Medicine, there is an explanation for everything.
I've never come across any patient who has an "Unknown" swelling of the neck.

Get the MRI, and get the next doctor, and the next, until you get Diagnosis you believe. Then find the best doctor in the country to work out a Treatment Plan with you.
Money is never a reason to delay health care.
The good specialist doctors can always work out an arrangement that won't destroy your financial life. But right now, money doesn't matter, does it?

This is how you can get it done.
What you describe is worth treating.

[venus20]

Need Help,

I am a cancer survivor of Tonsil cancer. I too had a lump on my left jaw and I had to go to the dentist, an oral surgeon and several other doctors before I ended up referred to a specialist in otolaryngology in which is a head and neck surgeon. I recommend that you see this specialist and request that get a PetScan done. I think there must be something wrong with you and if you say the lump is getting bigger then you need to have someone to check it that knows what they are doing. When I first went to the dentist he noticed it was something more serious than a tooth ache so he recommended me to see an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon sent me to see another doctor that specializes in the ears nose and throat. I was in such pain that the doctors were giving me Vicondin and I ended up going to the emergency room. The doctors did not help me there. He just checked me quickly and asked me to give him a sample of my urine and then signed some papers to send me home. In the paper he wrote possible TMJ. The last oral surgeon doctor referred me to the head and neck surgeon as he must of suspected that I had cancer, but did not tell me anything except that I should see him right away at the time. I was lucky that the doctor caught my cancer in time and he performed a biopsy on me and surgery after. I had to take radiation and chemo, but my cancer was in the beginning stage, so I did not have to get a heavy dosage of chemo. All of this happen in 2007 and I thank God I am cancer free as of today. Please have this specialist get you checked as soon as possible. I don't want to scare you, but the sooner you see this doctor the sooner they can help you. Good luck and may God bless you. Let me know if you have any other questions that I might be able to help you with.

Sincerely,
Venus