Tight Throat (Page 19)

I was diagnosed with panic disorder in 2007 and I know it is hard, but having lived with its ups and downs for 4 years I can honestly say that it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Just like any muscle in our bodies when stress is present, our throat too can become tense. Instead of seeing this as a bad thing though, consider yourself lucky. So many people drive themselves into the ground - literally - without ever knowing that they were killing themselves with their lifestyle. Having anxiety is our body's way of telling us to slow down, breathe, eat better and be kinder to ourselves.
In this day and age, so many of us completely abuse our bodies, but with this anxiety scaring us enough to make big changes in our life, we should consider ourselves very lucky.
Before I began having panic attacks, I used to drink and smoke too much, mess with drugs, eat terribly and never exercise. After I was diagnosed with anxiety I was too terrified to do any of these things for fear of having a panic attack and from then on I cut out carbs (which can become stuck in your intestines and end up causing breathlessness which brings on tight throat and panic attacks), sugar, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, and nicotine. Also, red meat should be very limited and maybe cut out for a few months. After I made these changes, life improved and I began learning how to treat my body well. I now have small amounts of everything in moderation. I'm sure many of you will notice that often when your throat is tight, you have trouble swallowing. Suffering from anxiety, many of us are lucky enough to know as soon as we put something in our mouths whether our body is going to respond well or not. Some days you can eat things, and other days your body will not respond well. It is a good thing - we are connected with our bodies, even if it can sometimes be terrifying.
Another thing I strongly recommend is acupuncture. Over the years, I have tried everything to help with my anxiety - I saw natropaths, osteopaths, counselors, massage therapists, the list goes on. Acupuncture is the one thing that have ever caused a true change in me and it is amazing. Nearly 5 years later and I can honestly look back on my time spent with anxiety and say that it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It has caused me to make changes, seek help, be healthy and love myself. These days I still get anxious, I always will. This is the way we were built. Some people are more sensitive to stress, food and other daily challenges than other people, and this is how our bodies react. But I don't get panic attacks because I know it can't kill me and won't hurt me, and now, instead of hating and resenting my anxiety, I love it for all the good is has brought to my life in its round-about way. It's like they say, some of life's greatest gifts come in the most unlikely of packages.
I also read a quote somewhere once that really resonated with me:
"Accept all of life's challenges as if you chose them for yourself."
Remembering this has allowed me to not focus on the negative points of having anxiety, and instead recognise it as a very positive part of my life.
I hope it does the same for all of you.

Hi everyone - I am 38 and have suffered with this for ten years now... I used to go the docs and ask them and they just said stress, and gave me muscle relaxants etc. It has never gone away about six months ago I went for a oesophogoscopy - no cancer but definately caused by acid reflux!!!! I don't suffer from heartburn so I had never even suspected that that was the cause. Stress increases acidity so it will get worse when you are stressed.. I still haven't managed to get rid of it. I am on tablets now and have to stay away from dairy, spicy foods, caffiene, mint, raw tomatoes, onions etc.... basically anything that causes acidity..still not gone but am hopeful coz sometimes it gets so bad that I don't know how to be also losing weight apparently helps...if I manage to get rid of this menacing ailment, I will def post here

Hi everyone - I am 38 and have suffered with this for ten years now... I used to go the docs and ask them and they just said stress, and gave me muscle relaxants etc. It has never gone away about six months ago I went for a oesophogoscopy - no cancer but definately caused by acid reflux!!!! I don't suffer from heartburn so I had never even suspected that that was the cause. Stress increases acidity so it will get worse when you are stressed.. I still haven't managed to get rid of it. I am on tablets now and have to stay away from dairy, spicy foods, caffiene, mint, raw tomatoes, onions etc.... basically anything that causes acidity..still not gone but am hopeful coz sometimes it gets so bad that I don't know how to be also losing weight apparently helps...if I manage to get rid of this menacing ailment, I will def post here

So i have been sick for almost 2 months.. I got sick around christmas time. It started off as a typical cold.. Then turned into what my dr thought was bronchitis he in turn gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way.. Over the next few weeks my throat started feeling tight.. Like i could turn my head and feel muscles pulling always feeling like something was stuck in my throat. Went back to the e.r a few times this latest dr said i have chronic Sinusitis, bronchitis, and bronchospasms he would like for me to be evalutated for asthma.. I am a smoker but I stopped smoking 2 days ago hoping that it would make whatever it was go away.. So far no luck.. I have a dr's appointment tomorrow and I am also like many who suffer from anixety but I keep trying to tell myself there is nothing there but when you have so many symptoms that go hand in hand with srs medical issues its hard not to think that.. Basic symptoms on a daily basis for me are.. Tight neck, squeezing throat feeling, Lump in throat, Body aches, hoarse voice.. Constant cough.. I mean.. Am i crazy? Am i fine? I dont have health insurance atm so trying to go see a specialist is like not even possible atm.. I just wish it would go away...

I also suffer from this condition and indeed am at this very moment moment in time! It truly feels as though my throat is just going to close up and that I will stop breathing. It is very very scary. All doctors say it is stress and anxiety yet it still seems unbelievable. I try not thinking about it but in social situations when I'm trying to talk it catches up with me and I feel unable to talk as I'm not getting enough air.

Does anyone have any answers? I have tried distraction all I can.

still here and dealing with these same issues.. except now im feeling a weird sensation in my lower jaw..i swear its like im not sure if im making all this stuff in my head happen.. If i worry too much..My neck and head hurt all the time now.. I did go to the dr and they think of all my issues are stemming from acid reflux they think.. not really sure how acid reflux would make me feel this way..

Mine is caused by anxiety and being a naturopath, I don't take medicines. However, I found with the help of a rather knowledgeable sales clerk at Whole Foods that L-theanine, the active ingredient in green tee might help. It did. Two capsules anytime I have the feeling and it goes away.

Read more: Anxiety and Stress Forum - Tight Throat http://ehealthforum.com/health/topic36010. html#b#ixzz1ncmCFUsJ

Your throat is not going to close up. I have the same feelings sometimes too and have dealt with anxiety for years and years. Trust me, just relax, sit up straight, and take some slow deep breaths. And, if you drink a lot of caffeine, stop. It has direct impact on your level of anxiety.

I have the same problem, for years. I first noticed it when my mother passed away. I started on Lexapro and then ativan to sleep. I have a very dry, tight throat, choking feeling. When I lay down in bed on my back, I can feel my throat close and I start snoring while I'm awake. I also sometimes have trouble speaking clearly because my throat is so tight and it feels like my tongue is swollen and blocking the back of my mouth/throat. Does anyone else have THESE symptoms. I do have anxiety and stress problems, which I know make it worse. Plus I do have a tendency to dwell on things, this being one of them. Thank you.

I've been suffering from problem for a loooonnnnggg time and it's not a good feeling at all I'm only 13 and been suffering scince 8 I'm too young to have this some nights I feel like I'm going to die because of this all the years I've been crying myself to sleep its just very weird I was reading some tips so I'll try them out Please reply on helping me I just want it to stop!!!!!!!

Everything that I have read fits with just how I feel. The more I think about the feeling in my throat, the worse it gets and no medicine will take it away. I can feel that it is tension in my throat/neck, as if I am contracting the muscle but I am not doing it consciously. The pain spreads from my throat/neck into my ears too and it just makes me want to cry. I have suffered from depression in the past and currently have a managerial job where I have been very stressed. I am planning on going to see my doctor this week and see if there is anything that they can suggest.

just like toadd that as i now know this is an anxiety issue i have taken some kalms which contain valerian root extract totally herbal and it is helping to relax my throat a little, you can buy them in health shops or supermarkets in the uk probably in chemists

Hello,

I'm so glad I've found this blog/forum.

I've had anxiety for years but never to the extent I felt a number of weeks ago. I actually believed I was going to die, I had throat cancer and I would need a tracheostomy.

This was the first major panic/anxiety attack I've had. I've never been so scared in my life, to be honest. It was horrible.

I actually went to the doctors and had a blood test and an ultrasound on my throat, both coming back clear. My thyroid gland is on the larger side of normal, but nothing to worry about.

I saw two doctors and both said the same thing; it's most likely related to stress and anxiety. I've noticed as I start to get anxious and stressed, that's when I notice the swelling, so to speak. Almost like a nervous twitch, I start swallowing. When I swallow, I start to panic and then the throat swells up.

I've decided to go and seek help from a psychologist as I want to learn to manage anxiety and I also have many issues up there in my head.

I figure it can't hurt and if it helps me in the future, then it's a good thing.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with these issues. Admitting to somebody that I had issues and I needed help was prob the best thing I've done. It's helped with my anxiety and stress so much!

Hello my fellow tight-throaters

I'm familiar with the tight throat feeling as well. Am actually feeling it right now as I'm typing. But I'm not worried as I've since located the stressor that is causing me anxiety.

I dunno about you all, but for me, the stressors are actually soy milk and lack of sleep. I noticed that I'll get my anxiety whenever I drink soy milk for more than 3 days consecutively. I'll usually get the tight throat feel, shortness of breath and tension in my neck and shoulders whenever my anxiety comes. It'll go away if I stop drinking my soy milk for 2-3 days. Additionally, if I lack sleep for a few days consecutively, I'll also experience the same thing. So I'll make sure I go to bed extra early for a couple of days to catch up on sleep and make sure that my body gets its complete rest.

And just a tip that my doctor gave me (after he scolded me for my anxiety), if you are having an anxiety attack and feel that you can't even breathe, grab a paper bag or plastic bag and control breathe into it. Or if you have neither with you at that time, just pinch your nose and try to hold your breathe for as long as possible. The idea is to increase the level of carbon dioxide in your lungs, coz when you are gasping for air during an attack, chances are you'll be taking in excess oxygen. This will cause a tingly feeling in your limbs and might even cause one to feel dizzy and light-headed. It'll be hard to control your breathing when you are gasping for air, but it works.

And of course, stay away from caffeine. Tea, coffee, coke...just stay far far away from them.

Exercise is the best medicine, because it allows you to sleep comfortably, excess breathing and prevents you from the anxiety symptom.

I just started getting this annoying tight throat and strained breathing last week. It only occurs when I am either having a long winded conversation or when I am drinking fluids. It seems like at these points I am struggling to get enough air to keep talking.

Other than that, it usually does not bother me. I went to the doctor yesterday and he told me it is not cancer and to try some acid reflux meds. But after reading all of these posts, it likely is anxiety. I have been overwhelmed with business stress and mild depression over finances and now it makes sense. Thanks for all the good reads. if anyone figures out how to cease this problem, I will be on here looking for your fix.

Hi..I came across this site several months ago after researching for anything that could help feel better. I too have suffered from similar symptoms...the feeling of a lump in my throat, can't breathe comfortably, esophagus feels like it's closing, swollen throat glands, etc....the list goes on. After 3 months of being told that there is nothing wrong with me from several doctors, upper GI, throat ultrasound....FINALLY I am feeling sooooo much better after my doctor prescribed a low dosage of Paxil...guess it was anxiety related. If anyone hasn't tried an anti-anxiety medication yet, do it because you will start feeling better after a few weeks. Just wanted to share!

Have any of you had an endosopy and been diagnosed with Eosinophilc Esophagitis? I was diagnosed in 2008 and at first told it was from food allergies as I had a false positive to blood work to every food they tested. A year later, an allergist did a skin test and discovered I had a hiatal hernia after having my daughter & had acid reflux. My throat will get tight & when it first happened food would get impacted & it got so bad that I could barely swallow water until the symtoms eased. I have managed it rather well up until this past month. The acid reflux is pretty bad & that seems to drive the EE symptoms. I am sure many of you do not have this disease, but please PLEASE make sure you ask your Doctors if it is a possibility. An endoscopy with a biopsy can diagnose it as it has been considered a rare disease until recently more people are being diagnosed. Anxiety definitely plays a huge role as it increases the symptoms...for me I will have panic attacks and feel like it's suffocating me. I have two children & I want my life back.

Have any of you been diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis? I had an endoscopy done in 2008 with a biopsy and they found out I had EE. I was told for a year that I had food allergies due to a false positive blood test showing I was allergic to EVERY food they tested me for. So basically my diet consisted of salad, potatoes, and gluten free food. It took a few months for the inflammation in my throat to go down enough to even swallow those foods. The first month if I took a sip of water the water came right back up. I had an 8 month old baby girl and it was the scariest time of my life. I met an allergist in 2009 who did a skin test and said I had some intolerances, but not true allergies. He found that I had a hiatal hernia from my labor that was part of why I was dealing with acid reflux. The GI Dr missed that and had been treating me for allergies NOT acid reflux. They started me on a flonase inhaler without the spacer...but I had to swallow it not inhale. Two puffs twice a day. I was also started on Prilosec 40 mg a day. This seemed to help reduce inflammation and I was able to start reintroducing foods. I never thought I would eat real food again. I have had to battle the reflux and go on and off prilosec for the past 4 years. This last month has gotten bad again, not quite closed off, but my throat is very tight. I feel frustrated and almost like I've started over, but I keep thinking in my head that this time I know why this is happening & I know that the symptoms should improve. It just may take some time. I have an endoscopy scheduled this month. I just wanted to post my story & hopefully it will help someone else. I have a lot of anxiety & they tried to have me take some Zoloft but it caused seriously bad dry throat (which anyone with a tight throat will feel like they are going to lose their mind)...so the Dr just has me take xanax AS NEEDED. If anyone has or is going through anything similar and has other treatment ideas please let me know. I would love to try anything to feel better. I keep fearing I'll end up needed a feeding tube. Sometimes our minds play horrible tricks on us and for me it happens at night when I am alone with my thoughts and anxiety. I feel for all of you going through any similar symptoms no matter what the undlerlying cause is. I'm glad I found this board. I wish you all the best & hope everyone finds the truth that leads them to a better quality of life. Much love & blessings. ~H

Wow....I had no idea , but this might be the issue. I have anxiety problems, and I have had to go,to the E.R. With chest pain that persisted. I didn't know it was anxiety, but later found out it was.
I do have alot of stressful things going on in my life right now!
Almost two weeks ago, I woke up with a sore throat and it feels as though my epiglottis is stuck to the back of my throat.
It cuts off air. It's awful.if I can sip on fluids, then it helps, and I can swallow less painful and it opens up again. What the heck?
After reading this, I'm going to take a Xanax and see if it helps!

How is everyone doing that has posted? Can you get rid of this altogether?

What brought this awful symptom on?

Thanks in advance,

K