tight throat for over 2 months, getting throat pain when speaking, would love reassur

[derrick_cane]

hey as title says ive been struggling with a tight throat for over 2 months, classic lump in throat. i can trace all this back to what i assume was a nocturnal panic attack around early january - i jolted awake, hyperventilating, with the sensation of my throat almost closing. whnever i tried to sleep that night, id jolt awake with the same situation. i went to the ER and they couldnt see anything wrong in my blood, and i went to a GP shortly after and they suggested anxiety but thye didn't run any tests. I also had a horrible tingling sensation, random muscle fasciculations all over the body, tiredness in my left eye, and strange pyschological issues like worse short term memory. However, since my GP is taking a long time, and the blood test i recently gave clotted and so i have to wait another month for B12 vitamin results, I started taking them anyway. They have kept the tingling under control, and cleared my mind a bit, but the lump remains.

recently however, as of a few days, my voice has been feeling horrible, and talking at all irritates the throat. the lump isn't as strong - in february it got so bad i couldn't eat solids - but it is still irritating. Anyone gone through this or have any solutions ? I have horrible health anxiety, to the point where for some reason my symptoms are leading me to consider bulbar-onset ***, which is obviously ridiculous as im 20, and my progression is completely not indicitive of this. I feel lost with the health system as months for a test when my symptoms have lasted 2 months, and no treatment in between especially if its something as simple as GERD / LPD (ive tried gaviscon for literally a few days but i felt it made my symptoms worse so i stopped) and im in an important part of my uni education.

can all these be caused by anxiety ? This is eating away at my life to the point i am doing nothing with my days and am seriously feeling completely empty.

[NoraB]

i can trace all this back to what i assume was a nocturnal panic attack around early january - i jolted awake, hyperventilating, with the sensation of my throat almost closing. whnever i tried to sleep that night, id jolt awake with the same situation.

I have been having these for years, they're very unpleasant... (I had one last night, as it happens...)

recently however, as of a few days, my voice has been feeling horrible, and talking at all irritates the throat.

'Lump in the throat' is a classic anxiety symptom. It's due to the muscles in the throat tightening with the stress response - just as any other muscle will do. However, it's also cold season in Blighty, so it's possible that you also have a cold (or the beginnings of one) as well as the your anxiety.. Normally, you'd recognise this is for what it is, but HA doesn't work that way...

in february it got so bad i couldn't eat solids - but it is still irritating.

Couldn't, or wouldn't? (As in, was this that you physically couldn't swallow solids, or was this you thinking/fearing that you couldn't swallow solids?)

This is a stress response symptom. You're highly anxious, so your brain thinks you're in danger. There is no real danger, but your brain doesn't know the difference; it will respond in exactly the same way. When we experience fight or flight, we often get this lump in the throat symptom. We also might get the 'urge to purge' as in, urine, poo, or vomit. Simple answer; we can't run away (or fight) effectively with a stomach full of food etc. It really very simple when you understand what's happening...

Anyone gone through this or have any solutions ?

Yes, and the solution is to understand anxiety and the effect the stress response has on your body. Most importantly, to get some professional help with your health anxiety..

What do you do at uni when you're not studying? Maybe you need to find something else to do with your spare time rather than Googling diseases...

[derrick_cane]

thanks for the reply. before my assumed panic attack in january, i was a normal uni student, studying and socialising etc. however, after that event and the following symptoms, ive become reclusive and my voice hurting doesn't help with that at all. I will take your advice, try to relax more and simply hope this subsides soon, and if my voice pain remains ill bring it up for my next GP appointment.

[NoraB]

thanks for the reply. before my assumed panic attack in january, i was a normal uni student, studying and socialising etc.

Panic attacks don't just happen out of the blue; there's always a reason..

Before the panic attack, what were you doing? Were you drinking? It's amazing (not) how many panic disorders are triggered by being hungover... (dehydration)

Was anything stressful happening at home? Are you stressed about your course work etc..

I will take your advice, try to relax more and simply hope this subsides soon, and if my voice pain remains ill bring it up for my next GP appointment.

I would use throat lozenges, drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamol. If after a week, the symptoms haven't gone (or improved) then I'd see my GP..

[Hypo84]

I am very curious, when you speak, and your throat starts hurting, do you become a bit hoarse as well, like your voice is not as good as it should be?

[derrick_cane]

I cannot tell - everyone around me can't tell its hoarse and i wouldn't say hoarse, its defo just a pain in my throat when i speak. It feels like its not strong, but again its very slight. The main way I would describe the feeling is as if my throat is foreign to my body, and the vibrations from speaking feel really abnormal and kinda painful.

[Pkstracy]

I get this when I get anxious and it feels like my throat wants to close up when I am talking