Choking on Saliva/ Uncontrollable swallowing and air in esophagus

When laryngospasm is coincident with a cold or flu, it may be helpful for some sufferers to take acid reflux medication to limit the irritants in the area. If a cough is present, then treat a wet cough; but limit coughing whenever possible, as it is only likely to trigger a spasm. Drink water or tea to keep the area from drying up. Saline drops also help to keep the area moist. Pseudoephederine may also help to clear any mucus that may cause coughing and thereby triggering more spasms.
WHAT TO DO: Because spasms tend to last a short time (in most cases, but are very scary and feel like they last a long time, holding your breath during the spasm is a strategy for dealing with the spasm until it is over. Holding your breath and putting saline drops while holding your head back can give the sufferer something to do to both help the situation and distract the sufferer.
Note: Some have gotten relief by breathing in cold air from the freezer or breathing very slowly through a straw. Taking tiny sips of ice water can help in some case of you can get it down. An ice cold wet rag on the throat may also help in some cases. The main thing is to keep as calm as you can and relax as much as possible. Hard to do when you cannot breathe, but it helps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laryngospasm

I get this all the time during the day and in the evening while asleep. It is certainly the scariest thing when it does happen. I feel like one day I may not make it through because it is that severe when it happens. My father was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease and it is a disease the attacks the muscles. He chokes on his food all the time that the ambulance have to come. The throat muscle is not working in sinc with the brain. I am beginning to wonder if this is the beginning stage of the disease he has. It is a 50% genetic disease - meaning I have a 50% chance of getting this disease. When you do have this you decease from either choking to death or aspirating food in the lungs. Anyway, good luck and you may want to visit a ENT or Neurologist.

I have somewhat the same thing..I'll take a abite of food and the liquid part goes down with me doing it where I have to think hard about it, stop it, and sometimes it comes through my nose.. I hae to take a breath, then swollw that small part of the liquid.. it is scarey.. soup? forget about it.. water is ok.. and I always ned to clear my throat and cant swollow that either.. I get exhausted.. I have no clue what it is either..but I guess have an upper GI but because of another illness, can't go under in any way.. I also have had a stroke 5 yrs ago.. dot know if that has anything to do with it, but it didnt happen back then, maybe for about 3 yrs now...

My six yr old daughter is having same thing! Been 3 months now.

Cheers
Ive just had another do.
No food or liquid involved this time.
Had it 6 years. Ok now. But oh my word.
It's frightening. #fedup

Laryngospasm is a condition where the vocal chords close for much longer than usual, preventing us from breathing, and very slowly open again allowing us to breath again. It is terrifying unless you know what's happening. Breathing through a straw during an attack is said to be helpful. The important thing to know is that the vocal chords will always open again.

I identify with this stream of encounters..very frustrating to try to describe the feeling to anyone who has not had it occur...it's pretty unnerving and happens fast with no easily identifiable pattern...but each event is quite disabling when it/they occur
I thought it was swallowing ones own air...but reading the stream, each writer describes very well the predominant feeling..easy to empathize
If anyone ever gets a medical reason/diagnosis/solution, I surely hope it's set out, please.
I'm 69, slim, far from over weight, non- drinking when these have happened...and really keen to get an explanation that makes sense
Thanks all

So have you gotten some answer plz help us too..its very scary ..I feel like poking a hole through my throat my airwaves ..tobe on safe side. Me and my son we go through this ..hospital and 911 isn't near by..

Told doctor but really nothing ..

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Same Here...but I have told my family if ..this happens again. Blow hard into my mouth. That helps and its over.

Aijaz khan yes dear its realy threatening and i m facing this since 10 years now i couldnt expect reply from the doctors i have myself made a research on my own case .explanation takes long let me guide you to the point as much as i can , to stay away from this first of all have good sleep do not sleep flat but sleep only on the sides use high rise pillow rather thin or low pillow, do not drink liquids lifting your head up.major thing do not live on pending sleep,when attacked with this punch your own chest or inform in sign launguage to the person next to you, go down on oily foods specialy before bed time.always be with someone else if you are going for a swim .

It's called Laryngospasm. I'm not a doctor so I won't attempt to explain however, you should look it up and then go see a doctor.

Just woke up choking last night with this. Worst experience I ever had. Have had it for years. Choke on my own spit or drinking something, then out of nowhere. Glad to know I'm not the only one. Just had an endoscopy a couple months ago and the dr said my epiglottis looked abnormally shaped. Could be why it's happening. SIMPLY TERRIFYING.

These are called laryngospasms. Your vocal cords close over your wind pipe to protect the airway from a perceived intrusion (mucus, saliva, small particle of food, etc).

And actually, yes, they can be triggered by silent reflux / LPR. If you google "laryngospasms" you will find others who have dealt with them. I learned what they were called ina cookbook, of all places, called "Dropping Acid", after a doctor suggested that it may be silent reflux.

Tips I've learned via Google: when one happens, try hard not to panic. (Easier said than done, I know - I get them, too.) Try to breathe slowly, through your nose if you can. Gasping or sucking in hard for air will actually make it harder to get air than if you can try to relax and take in a tiny amount of air. (Also easier said than done, but I'm trying to share what I've learned; it does help.) Stretch your arms up and try to open up your rib cage. Some people say stretching your arms up and then bending them like you are trying to scratch the back of your neck is helpful.

Once I knew these things had a name, it helped a lot.

This is exactly what happens to me. Always when I am awake though, not when I'm asleep. And I don't notice any saliva. For me, the only way I can explain it is it's as if I am trying to breathe and burp at the same time. Then it is like a flap closes and I can't breathe. Sitting in house, once in class, once on stage while I was doing a play. And yes, like others, in that case, I lost control of my bladder. It is scary as hell. I can now tell sometimes when it is about to happen. I have been told it is reflux, an anxiety attack, but I have both of those, and this ain't it! I would really like to know what it is.

I have had the same thing for the last 20 years. I literally cannot breath and feel like i am drowning. I have asked physicians every few years and and they always come back with nothing. Since they happen so often, i have learned to "control" the choking most of the time. Instead of trying to take a deep breath or coughing, I just take a few seconds and hold my breath. Then introduce short breaths, then deep breaths, then they usually pass. Every so often, like tonight, i will need some one to do the heimlich maneuver. So far it has worked. I just wish there was a diagnosis or answer to help out with this. My wife is constantly on guard every time i cough and to some extent so am I. Good luck to the rest of you and share if you find some answers.