Tightness in throat (cricopharyngeal spasm)

Hello and welcome!

I am sorry that you are dealing with this problem at the moment. This was actually my first anxiety symptom as well.

It can be really annoying!

As far as the Klonopin question, that is just something that you and your doctor should discuss together to come to the best decision for you...

I can however recommend some ideas for relaxing the muscles in your throat, and some other help for this globus problem.

First of all, progressive muscle relaxation is great for anxiety in general, and could help you to release tension in your neck. We have a link to a video in our Resource Guide (main page, 1st post) Pay special attention to the head, neck and shoulder areas. I used to let my head tilt gently backward and let my mouth hang open...holding this position for a minute or so, and repeating throughout the day.  I would also gently massage the throat area gently.

Sipping water or tea often helps to keep the throat hydrated and reduces the 'lump' feeling. Hard candies and lozenges can also help with this.

I hope that you get the help from this that you need soon. I encourage you to keep posting with us as well. We understand ane are here to listen and support!

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat

I had cricopharyngeal spasm to the point I didn't think I could go on for months. I finally got prescribed Valium, which works well as long as you take huge amounts every day and don't mind dropping IQ points by the week... Still, i honestly would have considered heroin if it helped... Mindfulness meditation helped kept me somewhat sane. For me, the throat spasm came as the last in a long sequence of odd symptoms including pins and needs, clumsiness, foot pain, pain breathing in, inflamed feet, burning skin, anxiety... Turned out to be neurological Lyme disease and after 10 months on antibiotics my throat is cured!

I just had my first appointment with my psychiatrist and she gave me three medications to take. They are Celexa (she thinks I have low grade depression), Flexeril, and propranolol. I asked her about increasing my dosage of Klonopin because it seemed to be at least a little bit effective, but she didn't want to do that. She also asked me how much I had left and when I pulled the bottle from my purse, she took it and counted the pills, which I found a bit insulting. I am not abusing it!!!

Tomorrow I am scheduled for cognitive behavioral therapy, and I'm not sure how that is going to help since all of this stems from a very physical symptom, but I guess I'll give it a try. I'm then to follow up with the psychiatrist in two weeks.

So far it doesn't seem that any of these medications are doing anything. I feel so hopeless.

Hi KitKat:)

I am sorry to hear that you are still having trouble with this...but glad that you are starting CBT!!! It is amazing, but gaining the tools through therapy does eventually lessen the physical symptoms! It takes some time, so be patient, but it is worth it.:)

I am sorry about the pill counting experience.:( I would have felt the same way initially...but try not to take it personally. Doctors see all kinds of things, and know that people are very clever when it comes to dependency/addiction issues...she doesn't know you well enough to be sure that you are not one of the many people who are abusing their Rx..she probably does this as routine to every patient.

Let us know how your session goes if you feel like sharing.:)
...and keep posting with us...we will be here cheering you on!

S.C.

KitKat:
I have had this problem for years. A good chiropractor helps A LOT! The spasms in the throat can be caused by your muscle tension relayed from neck and/or shoulder part of the spine being "out". Also, a BIG one that helped me loads - over the counter Valerian root. It is a natural relaxant and makes a WORLD of difference for me! Also - have your thyroid levels checked. Hope this helps!

I too have been suffering with cricopharyngeal spasms for a couple of years now. Started off feeling like I had a popcorn hull stuck in my throat that I couldn't get rid of. Sometimes it even made me gag. After a few days, I also started to feel as though I had someone's hands around my throat, making it somewhat difficult to breathe. Strangest thing is that these spasms go away temporarily when I eat. I went to the ENT, and he didn't see anything, just a little redness (probably from smoking). Then I was sent on to see a neurologist. I have since been diagnosed with Isaac's Syndrome. I'm sure they are related, however I do not know what to do to relieve the symptoms of the throat spasms. I am currently on muscle relaxers, and anti-anxiety medications (Clonazapam) 3xdaily. Nothing ever seems to get rid of them completely.
I have, however, found that drinking hot tea with honey and lemon help, as do Altoids/Tic Tacs. Strange, but whatever helps, I will continue to use these things until I find something better. I have also found that placing a heating pad on my neck helps to relax the muscles in my throat. Again, a temporary fix, but if if helps, why not try it.

Hey everyone, for the past month I have been reading your posts to gain some information on real experiences regarding this condition.
I have a suspicion that I am sufferring from this, and I hope I am right because that would finally give my mind peace.

I have an upcoming appointment with an ENT Specialist and I cannot wait for that day to come :)

I have been experiencing so many of the symptoms listed such as trouble swallowing, a feeling of lump or ball in the throat, feeling of choking or drowning, trouble breathing (which I think is related to the anxiety), trouble swallowing my saliva, symptoms worsen at night (and after I sing) and so much more.

I'm hoping its just this and nothing serious.

I have been so scared to drive alone for the past few weeks with the fear of fainting in the car. It is so embarrassing when I have to call my partner to pick me up from work in his car. Luckily he is wonderful and understanding.

Just recently I started taking these lozenge type things called 'Rescue Remedy Pastilles' and I do believe it works in terms of calming me down.
I have been able to drive home for the whole week without having a panic attack. Everytime I feel like I am going to panic I pop one in my mouth and in an instance I feel sane again.

I really do recommend it :)

I work in a Pharmacy and I have tried a few medications, one after the other, and I never thought this natural remedy would work the best!

The doctor has put me on Somac (which aggravated my symptoms) and I even tried Nexium, Pariet as well as anti biotics (as the doctor thought it was a sinus infection).

I am so excited to see the ENT and I hope I find an answer to this scary condition! My heart goes out to everyone who is going through the same thing as me. It is so scary and can be so depressing at times. Especially when no one really understands what you are going through and how hard it is to relax when you feel like you're choking on something that's not there.

I just wanted to say thank you for sharing all of your experiences. When I realize that I am not alone it gives me strength and hope.

Also, thank you for reading my post :)

Much love <3

Hello :)

There have been times when I thought I could not breathe because of this which causes me to hyperventilate and feel nauseous, however when I do calm down I feel much better.

Sometimes I do get quite gassy and my stomach feels bloated and uncomfortable, but I don't know if it is GERD yet.

I have done an endoscopy and they did not find anything. Even checked for H Pylori and still negative. I am hoping it is just something like silent reflux, or an allergy.

I will keep you updated :)

Hi amv:)

I am glad to hear that your test went well, and that it has given you some peace of mind!

I hope that you continue to improve and that this symptom is soon a thing of the past for you.

Thanks for the suggestion on youtube...I will check it out and see what he has to say.

Be bell and post anytime.

S.C.

Forgot to mention, I have a doctor appointment on Thursday and am going to ask them to refer me to ENT. Wish me luck

I am not sure that I have C.S. but I match a lot of the symptoms. I will talk to doctor about it and see what she has to say. I do have anxiety and was prescribed ativan. I rarely take it but am thinking of trying it to see if it helps. I also have soma which relaxes me but also makes me very sleepy.

It's been a while since I last posted. In the beginning of April, at the recommendation of my ENT but against by GI doctor's advice, I finally had surgery for my acid reflux. I'm still on a modified diet; I can't have bread, most meat, or anything carbonated, but I'll live. I'm burping fairly frequently, but I no longer can feel food or liquid coming back up into my throat.

The bad news is that I'm still experiencing these spasms in my throat. My surgeon thinks it will go away on it's own eventually, but I'm tired of playing the waiting game. I still have some klonopin left over from the prescription my GP wrote for me last fall, so last night I decided to try an experiment, as my throat was really bothering me. Instead of taking the .5 mg dose I was told to take, I took 1 mg. I know, I know, I did not follow doctor's orders. But within 15 minutes, the lump in my throat was gone, as if it had never existed. I was so relieved that I cried. Then I thought about something my GI doc said over a year ago. "I could give you muscle relaxants, but I don't want to do that." So I suffered unnecessarily for 16 months because he didn't want to do something that could have helped me. It made me so upset and angry that I used my pillow as a punching bag for a few minutes.

This week I have a follow-up with my surgeon. I know prescribing this kind of medication is not exactly in his lane, but I have an established relationship with him and I refuse to see another psychiatrist for a physical ailment who is going to look at me like I'm a drug seeker because the drug that makes me feel better happens to be a controlled substance. The idea that people who need these kinds of medications can't get them because other people abuse the system really is absurd and aggravating. What do you say to a doctor to convince them that you aren't one of these people? Seems ridiculous to say, "I know you don't know me, but I have no intention of abusing this drug. I've never taken any kind of illegal drugs or so much as smoked a cigarette...."

So... I guess I'm happy that I found something that works but worried that I'm not going to have access to it. If that's the case, I guess it's on to experimenting with herbal remedies (which can be scary in it's own way).

Post Edited (KitKat880) : 5/13/2013 7:40:11 PM (GMT-6)