My throat hurts when I swallow.

It hurts bad when I touch the right side of my throat, but it doesn't hurt when I swallow. What is wrong?

• I have this tremendous pain on the right side of my throat. It hurts when I touch it and it hurts when I move my neck. It doesn't hurt when I swallow and my throat isn't red, so I'm pretty sure it's not a sore throat or anything like that (I've also had my tonsils taken out). I'm also experiencing feeling really cold all of a sudden (although it's like 90 degrees outside), my head feels really swollen, I feel like I'm going to pass out (not like a dizziness feeling, though), and I feel like it's almost hard to breathe. I literally feel like dying right now. My throat started hurting a few days ago and now all these symptoms have showed up. Please give me actual suggestions on what might be wrong with me and don't say "go to your doctor immediately". I don't have health insurance because of this wonderful country that we live in and going to the hospital is my very last option and there's no point in going if something isn't seriously wrong with me. Thanks!

• Answer:

  From what you've written, something IS seriously wrong. How much worse than wanting to be dead do you need to feel before you seek medical help?? Go to the ER. Today.