Hi, glad you're having luck. My husband has been to 4 specialists, and they can't find anything wrong with him . They just say "I wish there was a magic pill we could give you." He seems to be getting better, as he mostly does it after he eats.
He's tried everything from the health food stores, and nothing worked from there either. I guess I'll just have to put in my
trusty ear plugs after we eat. I keep telling myself that there are worse things, and there are. We really think it comes from
smoking since he was 14. He has quit now for 10 years, so maybe this will go away in time. I pray it does!!
P.S. he's never had problems with mucus.
Good Luck and Blessings to you
Debbie
Hi all,
I too have this exact same problem. Usually after I eat I get the sensation that food is stuck in my throat, and then I basically go into panic mode that I am going to choke. Sometimes just after one bite of food and I can't eat anymore. This has gone on now for about a year. Ive noticed it does occur more often with sweets, chocolates, dairy products, corn syrups and such that have that type of consistency and viscosity. (Foods that are gluelike, that when swallowed would travel down your throat slowly) Ive seen several doctors whom have come up short diagnosing me with any sort of illness (except maybe acid reflux) and for that I am on an acid reducer. However they've given me no real solution or answer to the underlying problem, only maybe that it might be caused by stress factors. I am no doctor but it did make me stop to think about when this whole throat irritation started to occur in my life.
It started happening when I made some life changes (moving, relationship changes, finishing school etc) for better or worse that had me constantly anxious and what not(causing muscles to tense up), basically life was more stressful. It started one day and hasn't left me since. I was eating some food (cant remember exactly what it was) but it happened, and I was home alone. I know for a fact that day I was stressing/thinking hard over several different issues in my life. From then on I noticed it always occured when Im consciously thinking about swallowing and therefore my muscles in my throat tense/spasm and they will not completely relax, giving that choking sensation (that might also be tightening up on the esophagus). It does seem to occur more at nighttime when im home alone. A side note is it doesnt help that I have terrible allergies (wintertime now) and I cant breath out my nose, so I mouth breath all day and night which dries out my throat even more. Sometimes it feels like Im swallowing nails its so dry. But the sensation always occurs after I eat and usually when I eat alone or in a big group of people as I fear that I am going to choke and die alone in my apartment, or become very embarresed that I just choked on some food in front of a group of my 'peers'. In summary I believe that if the doctors tests come back negative for everything it could truly be solely stress or emotional triggers that are causing this (its all in your head). But we experience real symptoms (very scary ones at that). Stress can cause your unconscious self to do things that your not aware of, when our bodies experience high levels of stress it will sometimes cause us to go into a kind of fight or flight mode. Its all subconscious though. Like I said I am no doctor but when I am completely, and I mean completely relaxed I dont get this sensation. If I think about it just a little bit, in any negative way usually I will send my self off the deep end into a throat spasm, so bad that it feels like my throats about to close up and I can't breath. Its happened so many times I hardly every get worried about it as I did before. Its very hard, day to day to live with this as it casues even more emotional pain, but life goes on.
This is just my personal experience with what everyone is relating to and my take on it. Reducing stresses and stressful situations in my life, and eating healthier have greatly improved this condition. I do also notice when I eat some processed foods or eat certain dairy or high fructose corn syrup products it usually happens. However I don't know if this is all in my head or truly a cause. MIND OVER MATTER. You would be amazed at what your subconscious is doing and what your not aware is happening with and in your body. I minored in Psychology so I do have some insight into this and it has helped. I wrote this to see if anyone else has had the same problems of clearing throat constantly and feeling of lump in there.
If you've seen all the doctors you can handle and they've ruled out about every medical condition that could occur with this condition we face, step back and ask yourself what is really causing this? I feel Im slowly getting better (as it occurs less often than before) but it has taken time, with some set backs. I meditate, eat healthier, cut out soda, any kind of drink with acid in it as it will only tear your throat apart even more, and exercise when I can (however increased air flow through my mouth dries out my throat sometimes causing said condition). I could go on for days but this is the summary of what has been occurring to me.
This wont work for everyone but after many many doctors could not diagnose me I took it into my own hands to get my health in check.
I am no doctor, good luck and plentiful health to everyone.
Remember it will get better with time (your body wont heal itself overnight) the more you stress the worse it gets. Break the cycle.
I will check back to see if anyone comments, thanks for reading and hopefully some of this helped someone. (I never comment on blog/board sites but this has caused such disruption in my life I figured I would take time to write about it)
Thanks for sharing your experience. My husband's throat clearing is mainly from the fumes in the places he works. He is a lab tech, but still has to go out into the plant several times a night. It's the only thing we can think it could be. He eats healthy, and avoids any kind of soda pop. We seriously think it will get better when he retires, in a few years. He has his good days like today LOL, and his bad days, that call for ear plugs. Thanks again for posting this. Debbie :-)
Did you ever find relief, I have had the same for my whole life of 62 yrs.
Hi, is it your wife who clears her thoat or you. If it's you, sadly to say that my husband has been to 4 specialists, and they
couldn't do anything for him. If it's you wife , I can only suggest Mack's Swimmer's earplugs. They have been a lifesaver for me, and they are cheap. You can order them at The Ear Plug Store online. Good luck.
Sorry to say no. we have never found anything or any doctor that has helped us. I'm beginning to think it's something you have to live with.
Blessings
Debbie
Hi, my husband did try "Colts Foot", and it did nothing for him. I also did some research on this product, and found out that it can cause certain kinds of cancer. Like you, I too hope we can find a cure. Take care.
Blessings
Debbie
Based on the below I am optomistic for a year or two in future;
I'm starting Colts Foot starting July! (registered variety Tussilago farfara Wein) US import!
I have also reduced coffee intake! I will have much reduced work responsibilities early 2014 so this may help any work related anxiety if any, and at this time I would be able to stop coffee other than for social enjoyment!
I started counciler sessions online. It 'seems' that I began frequently clearing throat soon after a family member began and as this family member had mental illness I associate the throat clearing with mental illness and/or lack of confidence! For this conclusion I worry others hearing me 'frequently' clear throat will think I suffer in the same way! This worry brings frequent throat clearing, the worry has now become anxiety, and now it is habit in a viscious cycle!
Affecting all areas of my social/working life and can't even escape it whilst alone! Morning, Evening, whatever foods etc. so I don't put it down to diet!
I have been living 'recently' by the following moto although am largely still affected; Break the habit! If must then do it! Stop whilst alone! (having water on hand seems a necessity!)
I'm amazed how many others seem to suffer. In public such as in shops, people on the bus, in the cinema, I hear people with what sounds like the same problem! It's a habit that spreads easy and I worry for those around me!
The clearing of my throat is distroyng my life, I can not believe not one damn doctor have a solution for this annoying situation. I want my life back, am so tired of keeping my mouth closed when am around people. Is there anyone out there that can help with something that seems so simple....Am sure there is! Pleeeeeese HELP
I have had throat clearing problems for so long, like someone else said, I cannot remember when I did not have these problems. I have read a bunch of the posts from part 1, and I am not sure my problem is the same as what others are describing, but I was amazed to read that others have so many similar symptoms as me.
SYMPTOM:
My symptom is that I have to spit a hocker in the morning to get rid of all the gross snot and phlegm that accumulates in my throat over night. Once I get that out I am fine for the day. My symptom does not show up after meals or any other time except when I get up.
My earliest recollection of when this started is when I moved to the big city (CHICAGO IL) from the a small town setting. At the time I also smoked regularly. Maybe a pack a week. That was over 20 years ago. I stopped smoking almost 14 years ago. (Yeah me!) But the phlegm/drainage never stopped. I have never been tested for allergies, and my primary drs. have never found the problem when I reported it.
How I deal with it is that I get that c**p outta there. I sound disgusting but I bring it up like an old timer hocks a loogie . And I keep at it until that feeling of something being in my throat is gone. Most of the time, it is productive. I usually bring up a small chunk of green snot, and mucus. Once I get it out, I do not have any problems for the rest of the day. I believe that if I did not get that outta there in the morning, I would be working at it all day long... similar to how others have described their days.
I think some people are not able to hock productively. I don't know, maybe there is a video on youtube to teach you. You have to be aggressive (i.e. non mannerly) about bringing it up. If it helps, you can hock into a paper towel to help muffle the sound (and embarrassment). People that work outside or in very dusty conditions would be able to demonstrate for you and give you some tips.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
The biggest caveat to this is that I think my tonsils have been harmed over the years. My tonsils are very pithy (have little holes in them). I am not sure if my voice is affected, I would say no. The problem is that pithy tonsils collect food. Collected food sitting in a hole in my tonsils in my mouth over time grows bacteria, and bacteria means smelly breath. Smelly, as in the worst you could possibly imagine. So, yes, super gross. But snot chunks running down my throat is not tolerable either.
OTHER IDEAS FOR SOLUTION:
One thing that does help me clear the phlegm and mucus is a nettie pot, aka nasal wash pot. You fill the nettie pot with a rinse, and then pour the rinse in one nostril and it comes out the other nostril. It rinses your nasal passages of whatever is in there. The rinse can be a luke warm salt & water solution. Please use a recipe for the rinse, because too much salt will burn like hell. You could also buy a saline solution. There is also a prepared nasal wash solution have used from the drugstore (CVS in my area) that is called ALKAHOL. I really loved this product. It really makes you feel refreshed, nasally speaking. If your problem stems from an sinus issue caused by environmental conditions, I think this product is worth a try. But if the problem is from the stomach coming up to the throat, I don't think this product is going to improve that condition.
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Hope this helps someone. Sorry for all the grossness. But as my dad always said about loogies, "better out, than in".
Hi everyone!:-D I just wanted to send some information I think may help some of you who are in the same boat as a friend of mine. She is CONSTANTLY CLEARING HER THROAT! My son and I agreed to let her stay with us when her older brother started to get somewhat abusive. She just lost both parents and she needed someone. She was working with my son is how we all met. For about the last year she has been constantly clearing her throat. She can sing really well and I was worried this may effect her voice. So, I got on the internet and typed into Google " What type of illness would cause someone to clear their throat all day and all night?" I found out that this could be a form of Tourette Syndrome! Yes, interesting. It does, however, go into some detail and explains this could be a result of anxiety. Makes sense. I just thought for those of you suffering and finding no answers you may want to check on this. May at least bring some peace of mind as to what it could be causing such symptoms. I did worry that she may have cancer or a number of other things but this did put my mind at ease just a little. Hope it was useful and can help some of you who are finding no answers.