Epiglottis + trouble breathing : epiglotitiss ?

You wrote:

"Current medical status: I recently had a pulmonary embolism. I am doing fine but was left with a problem, I call, with breathing. I am getting enough oxygen but I don't feel that my epiglottis opens when I want it to. I try to take a deeper breath than normal breathing and just can't. Of course, when I do it too much I get light headed. I yawn a lot trying to get that breath that I'm looking for. I have see a pulmonologist and they say that my lungs are fine. My regular doctor says it's anxiety. He has tried me on adivan and xanax but nothing takes it away. It calms me down so I don't strain as hard to get the breath but the symptoms don't go away. If it is anxiety (which I've always had, who doesn't) why don't the pills work? I went to the psychiatrist as suggested. I have life problems, but they've been there for a long time. I've dealt with them the best I can. This problem didn't start until after the embolism. I wake up in the morning and it star! ts right in. I don't seem to have a hard time breathing at night. I breath better sitting up straight or standing. Sitting on a slant-not good at all. Get the best breath leaning forward. It seems to help open things up. I have an a ct scan with nothing significant and an endoscopy-all Ok. No fever so in researching things it doesn't really fit infection type things like epiglotitiss but some of the symptoms are similar. I just don't feel like that little flap opens when I want it to. It frustrates me and is causing added anxiety but I really don't believe it's in my head. What else could it be? I want a second opinion but I don't know what kind of doctor to go to. What can I do?"


You can’t control the epiglottis; the epiglottis opens automatically as a reflex. When the epiglottis is inflamed (epiglottitis), it is not paralyzed but swollen and air can not pass. You can request functional tests in order to examine the functionability of the lungs and an ENT-examination to reveal if there is really something wrong with the larynx and lungs or if you are experiencing a mentally induced somatic reaction.




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