A 24-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a three-day history of worsening sore throat, fever, and difficulty swallowing. He reports that the pain started on the right side of his throat and has progressively worsened. Over the last 24 hours, he has developed difficulty opening his mouth and his voice has become muffled. He also complains of severe ear pain on the same side, but no issues with hearing.