Otohiko Takayama

ABNORMAL SENSATIONS OF THE PHARYNGO-LARYNX

By use of a chart questionnaire, abnormal sensations of the pharyngo-larynx (ASPL) were analyzed between May 1-October 30, 1984 and followed up uintil 1 year after the first consultation date. Two hundred ninety-one patients from the total were found to suffer from ASPL, the ratio of ASPL to all out-patients being 1.47%. The ratio of sex distinction was 6.2 (males): 10 (females). A significant number of ASPL cases occured between the ages of 30-59 years old. ASPL patients were divided into the following categories: (1) causes originating from the ENT field, (2) internal medicine origin, (3) psychological internal medicine, (4) malignant origin and (5) unknown origin. The authors also conducted an investigation of the relationship between iron deficiency and abnormal sensations of the pharyngo-larynx. ASPL in females aged between 30 to 40 years indicated a significant relation to anemia of latent iron deficiency. The authors also investigated from the psychological internal medicine view and the results revealed sticky sensations of the pharyngo-larynx and autonomic imbalances with position reaction to psychosomatic and neurotic symptoms.