Painful Voice ‘catching’

[Catalyst]

This is hard to describe accurately - I was having a conversation tonight, talking normally and my voice suddenly “caught” (cut out) with a sharp painful lump feeling in my throat. I couldn’t speak afterwards for a minute or two (just a raspy attempt). It triggered a coughing fit too. Afterwards I had quite a few episodes of this pain and “catch in the voice” for a few hours, but not quite as bad - not to the point of losing my voice.
I’ve had this a few times over the last 2 months. I’ve also had a barky, dry cough since a cold early February. Plus the feeling of a post nasal drip. The doctor prescribed an antihistamine and nasal spray to use for 4 weeks. That was 3 weeks ago, but this voice pain issue was severe tonight and makes me worry something else is going on. I can’t find any info on people experiencing the same thing. It feels like something is wrong with my vocal chords. (I also have acid reflux which is being treated with lanzoprazole, but I missed one yesterday). Has anyone else had anything like this before?

[its1111]

I am not a doctor by any means and have HA myself, but I am a voice teacher and also have acid reflux...your symptoms are very common in reflux. Hoarseness, dry cough, phlegm, etc. Try watching what you eat and see if that helps. I know medication alone isn't enough for my reflux.

[Beachlady]

This is hard to describe accurately - I was having a conversation tonight, talking normally and my voice suddenly “caught” (cut out) with a sharp painful lump feeling in my throat. I couldn’t speak afterwards for a minute or two (just a raspy attempt). It triggered a coughing fit too. Afterwards I had quite a few episodes of this pain and “catch in the voice” for a few hours, but not quite as bad - not to the point of losing my voice.
I’ve had this a few times over the last 2 months. I’ve also had a barky, dry cough since a cold early February. Plus the feeling of a post nasal drip. The doctor prescribed an antihistamine and nasal spray to use for 4 weeks. That was 3 weeks ago, but this voice pain issue was severe tonight and makes me worry something else is going on. I can’t find any info on people experiencing the same thing. It feels like something is wrong with my vocal chords. (I also have acid reflux which is being treated with lanzoprazole, but I missed one yesterday). Has anyone else had anything like this before?

Classic silent acid reflux. Seriously. All of it. Happens to me ALL the time. All of a sudden your throat closes off and you cough your head off. Reading your post is like looking in a mirror for me.

[Catalyst]

Thank you both for the reassurance. I went to see my doctor and he has referred me to an ENT for a possible scope to look at my throat and vocal cords. If it’s all clear he will refer me to a vocal therapist. (My voice has been ‘catching’ for 4 days now, but only when I speak at a higher pitch or with more force than normal). If it is reflux related then my tablets are clearly not doing enough to help anymore. 🙁

[Beachlady]

Maybe a change in diet would help? I’ve been experimenting with apple cider vinegar and celery juice.

[Catalyst]

Just an update on this:

In June I had a camera (via nose) to look at throat. Just inflammation (put down to previous viral infection or acid) and one of my vocal chords being a bit “lazy” and slightly out of sync with the other. (Put down to same thing!
Since then I’ve been having some speech therapy and drinking lots more water and taking gaviscon at night - as well as continuing my lanzoprazole.
The cough, dryness & post nasal drip have gone. However, I am still getting the problem with my voice cutting out occasionally. It happens out of the blue with no warning. I’ll be talking fine and then suddenly I get a painful stabbing sensation in my throat and my voice seizes up. It happened yesterday and straight after I couldn’t get my voice to work properly for a few minutes (weak, quiet and strained). The rest of the day I could speak ok but was aware of a dull pain/ache in the throat where it had happened. I am finding it very difficult to find people that have had similar experiences (apart from beachlady - whose description sounds reassuringly familiar!) the doctors look at me like I’m imagining it. But it is so painful and debilitating when it happens. 😔
I’ve just been given a medication for nerves, incase it is nerve related.