Throat's muscles spams and clearing

[alyx]

Hey 

two years ago to the day I had a throat spam which subsided within days, then the flu and three months later I started clearing my throat .

 

the situation has been persistent although, at the beginning, recurrent. Now it alternates on a permanent basis between these spams ( like a feeling of internal auto-strangulation... Sorry that is the best way I can put it ) and clearing of throat. 

At night it is peaceful and, ( if I have any of these symptoms, I don't realise it  ) I spend the night like a baby.. As soon as I wake up it starts again with a few moments of peace. 

Needles to say that I have consulted ( already posted here and was given advice I followed ) underwent treatment ( insisted on being checked for cancer ) but nothing helps.

reading through different forum, I am not the only one so if by chance there is somebody who has been able to try and treat these symptoms Albert the cause, welcome 

 

thanks 

[Sheryl]

Alyx,

 

Please describe what sort of doctor you saw and what investigations were already made, treatments already taken.

 

If  an ENT problem has been ruled out it is possible this is a reaction to gastric reflux.

 

Also: are you on any medications? (could be allergic)

 

And: do you drink coffee or tea? Dies this start after your morning cup? People become more sensitive to caffeine as they age and this can be a cause of what you describe.

 

Have you had a  check of your thyroid size (palpation of the neck) and thyroid levels (blood test)?

 

If it is not allergy, not gastric reflux, not enlarged or hyperactive thyroid  and not ENT pathology then anxiety may be the cause, these are common signs of an anxiety attack.  In which case should consider things like a meditation (see www.dhamma.org for description and courses in Thailand) and/or counselling (see pinned mental health list). But let's be sure first that it is not reflux, allergy or thyroid.

[alyx]

Hey Sheryl 

Thanks 

None of the above 

Not under medication

I don't drink, nor smoke 

no coffee, no tea 

as for the Thyroid , I guess this was checked by the ENT at Saint Louis ( the one you had advise ) but no blood test ( actually he was kind of reluctant to do an endoscopy the first time, which I insisted on the second time and had also an endoscopy down my stomach ) 

i was given a treatment for reflux but didn't help so I stopped 

yes, anxiety is on the map but it happened so suddenly while I was perfectly relax on holidays and a year after what happened, you know .

I reckon that when I take a decision it seems to be more acute but it does happen under normal circumstances as well 

i am going to check the sites above 

[alyx]

I might as well make a test to check allergies but I think that they are going fishing to find an elusive answer to my problems 

[Sheryl]

Allergy testing is very complicated and expensive and if you are not on medications, is unlikely cause for what you describe. Allergy to environmental allergens would usually produce more respiratory symptoms.

 

I think since you have ruled out ENT pathology and treatment for reflux made no difference it would be good  to pursue the anxiety angle.

 

There can be a vicious cycle in which anxiety causes the sensation in the throat and then it in itself causes more anxiety since a sense of choking naturally causes the body to have a fear reaction. Then on top of this one becomes hyper-aware of sensations in the throat, and once hyper aware of any part of the body all sorts of sensations will appear. etc. Learning to relax and not react to the sensations, reminding yourself that while it may feel like there is something in your throat or that you are choking, in fact you are not, it is just a sensation and will pass, will help.

 

Vipassana meditation will  help in several ways: if practiced regularly it will address the underlying anxiety, and  it will give you a tool you can use at times the symptoms occur (because the meditation technique is based on the mind-body interaction and learning to observe physical sensations without reacting to them).

 

Counselling may also help to identify what the underlying anxiety is about. It does not require any external stress to have anxiety, in fact sometimes it will be much more evident during times when you have no external worries or obligations because then there is nothing to distract your mind.