Choking in the neck and throat: reasons why attacks of suffocation occur

Symptoms

The feeling of suffocation in the throat rarely comes alone.
Most often it is accompanied by other symptoms, sometimes no less unpleasant. Let's find out what these additional symptoms are. During a conversation, a persistent feeling of discomfort appears. It is difficult for a person to speak; there is a feeling that something in the throat is preventing this.

Feeling of a lump in the throat. Moreover, this “lump” not only interferes with speaking, but also makes it difficult to swallow and interferes with breathing.

In the video, the appearance of a lump in the throat:

When swallowing, painful sensations appear. Sometimes this even leads the patient to a complete refusal to eat due to too uncomfortable sensations during this process. Such refusal is especially dangerous for children, as it leads to weakness and rapid weight loss in the child.

You may feel heaviness in the back of your head, headache, and even loss of consciousness. The last symptom is expressed if there are disturbances in the circulatory system or central nervous system. Symptoms of pharyngeal neurosis may also include numbness and partial or complete absence of the pharyngeal reflex.

A feeling of numbness in the limbs is a symptom that is also sometimes associated with a feeling of suffocation. This symptom develops due to circulatory problems or neurological causes.

All additional symptoms can help the doctor make a diagnosis faster and more accurately and begin treatment. Therefore, at an appointment with a specialist, voice all the symptoms that worry you. And the doctor will be able to draw the appropriate conclusion from them.

What happens in the body

What is suffocation? This is a difficulty in breathing. This condition can develop for a number of reasons, from harmless to requiring urgent medical intervention. The cause of suffocation may be problems from:

• respiratory tract,
• of cardio-vascular system,
• thyroid gland,
• nervous system.

The feeling of suffocation in the throat occurs due to severe irritation of certain groups of nerves located in the larynx.

• Compresses the throat (feeling of suffocation) - causes and treatment

If choking in the throat has causes related to the respiratory system, then most often it begins with swelling of the mucous membrane, which can be triggered by various factors. The most common are inflammatory diseases of the throat, allergies, irritation from polluted air. Allergic reactions pose a particular danger. Laryngospasm can be very strong, and there is a possibility of developing Quincke's edema with complete occlusion of the airways.

Most often, a feeling of suffocation in the throat appears due to inflammatory diseases. It could be a sore throat, pharyngitis or laryngitis. The swelling that accompanies these diseases narrows the airway, making it difficult for a person to breathe.

Inflammation can lead to irritation of the nerves responsible for muscle contraction, then a spasm develops, which also disrupts the free passage of air, and a feeling of suffocation appears.

Symptoms accompanying inflammatory processes

• A sore throat,
• Runny nose, cough,
• Increased body temperature
• General weakness
• Possible enlarged lymph nodes.

Periodic spasms of the throat, accompanied by choking, may be a sign of the development of myocardial infarction. The thyroid gland can cause a feeling of choking in the throat. This occurs with endocrine disorders, accompanied by its increase. As a rule, this is no longer the initial stage of the disease, so symptoms characteristic of damage to this organ are also present:

• increased irritability,
• cardiac dysfunction,
• problems in the gastrointestinal tract,
• weight loss or gain,
• deterioration of the condition of the skin, nails and hair.

Choking in the throat due to the thyroid gland can be caused not only by the pressure of the enlarged gland itself on the larynx, but also by inadequate reactions from the nervous system, because with diseases of this organ, the nervous system is the first to be hit. Attacks of choking in the throat can have causes associated with overload, both physical and psychological. With any overexertion, the body reacts with muscle spasms. If such spasms occur in the throat area, they are often accompanied by suffocation. The feeling of suffocation is also dangerous because it can cause severe fear in a person, leading to the development of a panic attack, which leads to even greater muscle spasm.

Women, as well as people with an anxious and suspicious character, are more susceptible to panic attacks. Any stress, work overload, conflict can lead to such a person’s emotional reaction resulting in a panic attack and severe muscle spasm.

Difficulty breathing - causes of the disorder

The feeling that there is not enough air in the lungs is not always due to any disease. This phenomenon can occur during physical exertion, emotional shock, or sudden climate change. If the feeling of shortness of breath bothers you regularly, this may be due to serious problems:

• diseases of the heart muscle;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• pulmonary pathologies;
• the presence of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract;
• diabetes mellitus;
• oncology;
• infectious processes.

Other causes of difficulty breathing are active smoking, a tendency to allergies, excess body weight, and nervous disorders. The problem often occurs during pregnancy and is associated with bearing a large fetus, twins or triplets, and polyhydramnios.

Methods for treating a feeling of choking in the throat

To cope with the feeling of tightness in the throat, it is imperative to treat the underlying pathology. The choice of medications and procedures directly depends on the diagnosis.

So, if the functioning of the thyroid gland is impaired, iodine preparations must be prescribed . If autoimmune thyroiditis is diagnosed, therapy is more complex. In some situations, a person has to take hormonal medications for the rest of his life.

If the reason lies in damage to the cervical spine, it will not be possible to do without therapeutic exercises . The doctor may also recommend physical therapy - vacuum treatment, manual techniques, reflexology, laser therapy. Normalizing your lifestyle and following the rules of a healthy diet is of no small importance.

• Choking in the throat and neck area: diagnosis, causes, treatment, prevention

The most dangerous condition is the formation of a malignant tumor. In such a situation, it will not be possible to do without radiation and chemotherapy. In some cases, there is a need for surgical intervention.

When gastroenterological problems occur, treatment consists of following a special diet and using medications. However, if a hernia forms in the esophagus, surgery may be necessary.

With the development of inflammatory lesions of the otolaryngological organs, it is necessary to evaluate the nature of the disease - it may be of viral or bacterial origin. Based on the results of the studies, antibacterial drugs or other medications may be prescribed.

In addition to the main therapy, gargling with infusions of medicinal plants, preparations containing iodine or salt can be used. All of these products are distinguished by pronounced anti-inflammatory and healing characteristics. In some situations, warming compresses will help to enhance drug therapy.

If the feeling of tightness in the throat is due to psychogenic factors, therapy involves the use of medications and psychotherapeutic agents. If a patient is diagnosed with depression, he is prescribed antidepressants and tranquilizers.

If breathing problems occur that are associated with the appearance of panic attacks, measures are taken to eliminate the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

It is recommended to do breathing exercises on your own, which provides effective relaxation. To do this, you need to breathe with your stomach or use a bag, holding your breath for a certain time. The exact set of exercises will be selected by your attending physician.

When a coma occurs for the first time, you can perform several breathing exercises, trying not to focus attention on this condition. At the same time, it is important to control swallowing movements - they should not become more frequent. An additional remedy to improve the condition would be herbal infusion or tea. Subsequently, it is recommended to perform exercises for the muscle tissue of the neck and larynx.

How to get rid of the feeling of a lump in your throat

How does the violation manifest itself?

When there is a lack of air, a person is unable to breathe normally. Shortness of breath occurs, breathing movements become rapid. Against this background, general health deteriorates significantly. If there is constantly not enough air when breathing, the patient fears for his own life.

The feeling of lack of air can occur at rest and during physical activity, and have varying degrees of intensity. In any case, such a condition should not be ignored. Even if rare episodes occur, you should always consult a doctor.

Causes of tightness in the throat

A feeling of tightness in the throat can appear under the influence of various factors, which are divided into 2 main categories - somatic and psychogenic. The first group of reasons is considered the most extensive and occurs most often.

• What is a “lump in the throat” and how to get rid of it

Inflammatory processes in the throat area

Any inflammation provokes swelling of the tissues, as a result of which a person develops a pressing lump in the throat. This process can be acute or chronic and indicate the development of laryngitis or pharyngitis. Also, the reason may lie in the appearance of follicular tonsillitis.

In some cases, the patient's condition worsens and paratonsillitis or an abscess develops. This situation poses a serious danger, since there is a risk of severe edema, which will create difficulties with the access of oxygen to the organs of the respiratory system.

Tumor formations

Constriction may be associated with the development of benign or malignant tumors. And if in the first case conservative methods of therapy are usually sufficient, then in the second the situation can be much more serious. For treatment to be successful, the disease must be treated at the initial stage of development.

In some cases, a feeling of choking in the throat is the only sign of a dangerous disease. However, in some cases additional symptoms occur:

• rapid fatigue of the ligaments during a conversation;
• difficulty swallowing;
• the appearance of hoarseness in the voice;
• bad breath;
• formation of bloody streaks in sputum;
• breathing problems;
• the appearance of shooting pain in the ear.

Most often, such problems are localized in the larynx, trachea or oropharynx. If you suspect the presence of tumor formations, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Thyroid dysfunction

With iodine deficiency there is a risk of damage to the thyroid gland. This organ increases in size and compresses the throat. This pathology is called goiter. The second name is Graves' disease.

To identify pathology, the doctor conducts an examination. In addition to visual signs, people experience decreased appetite, protruding eyes, and weight loss. To clarify the diagnosis, laboratory tests and ultrasound are prescribed.

Also, a feeling of choking in the throat is sometimes associated with other lesions of the thyroid gland - inflammatory processes or increased production of thyroid hormones. These pathologies are also accompanied by a sensation of a foreign object in the throat.

Osteochondrosis

Quite often there is pressure in the throat with the development of cervical osteochondrosis. The causes of this disorder are most often associated with lack of movement, poor diet and bad habits.

Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by pain in the back, head and neck. In some cases, the pathology even provokes nausea, vomiting, and pressure changes. Only a doctor can diagnose the disease.

To cope with the pathology, long-term treatment is carried out. Therapeutic gymnastics and massage are highly effective. You definitely need to watch your posture. For sleeping, you should use an orthopedic pillow and mattress. In difficult cases, it is not possible to do without medications.

Digestive system diseases

If your throat is choking, the reasons may be due to gastroenterological problems. If this symptom appears after eating, there is a very high probability of developing pathologies of the digestive system.

As a rule, these disorders are accompanied by other symptoms. These include belching, heartburn, sour taste in the mouth and stomach discomfort.

Reflux

A sore throat is often caused by reflux. When this chronic disorder occurs, acidic contents enter the esophagus from the stomach. As a result, symptoms such as belching, nausea, and flatulence occur.

To cope with the violation, experts advise reviewing your menu. First of all, you need to give up coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks and any other irritating foods. Losing weight and following a diet is important.

Esophageal hernia

If the throat is compressed, the reasons may lie in the occurrence of a hiatal hernia. This disorder is associated with excess weight, constipation, lifting heavy objects and severe coughing. Also, a provoking factor can be severe stress, which leads to muscle spasms. In such a situation, it is enough to drink a glass of warm milk with honey.

A hernia is often accompanied by chest pain. In such a situation, the doctor should do a cardiogram to rule out heart disease. In some cases, in addition to a lump in the throat, hiccups occur.

Traumatic injuries

If your throat is tight and it is difficult to breathe, the cause may be damage to the esophagus or larynx. So, rough food can injure the esophagus. In addition, the reason may lie in improper gastroendoscopy. As a rule, such symptoms disappear on their own after about a week.

Allergy

There is a lump in the throat that seems to be suffocating due to Quincke's edema. This condition is life-threatening. In such a situation, swelling quickly increases, which can lead to suffocation. Time in such cases passes literally in seconds. Only urgent administration of antihistamines can save the patient’s life.

Other reasons

If your throat seems to be squeezing, you can look for reasons in the following:

1. Worm infestation . It is generally accepted that parasites most often live in the intestines. However, sometimes they lay eggs in other places. The throat is no exception. As a result, a person has a feeling of a foreign object in this area.
2. Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. This factor quite rarely provokes such problems, but it cannot be completely excluded. This is especially true if there are other signs of damage to the cardiovascular system - for example, pain in the sternum.
3. Excess weight . When an impressive layer of fatty tissue appears under the skin, a lump in the throat may occur.
4. Hit by a foreign object . This could be a bone or a tablet.

Psychogenic factors

Such reasons also often cause constriction in the throat. Before making such a diagnosis, the specialist conducts a detailed examination of the patient to exclude somatic factors. If the internal organs are working correctly, one can suspect the psychogenic nature of the problem.

In such a situation, a person faces difficulty swallowing saliva; constriction, scratching or soreness appears in the throat. In some cases, breathing problems and difficulty eating solid food occur.

At the initial stage, these manifestations are rather weakly expressed, but after some time they increase. This condition can persist for a very long time. Moreover, a person may have suspicions of developing cancer or other dangerous diseases. As a result, anxiety increases, which leads to a worsening of the clinical picture.

A feeling of tightness may occur periodically. In such a situation, panic attacks are observed, blood pressure increases, heart rate increases, and fear of death arises. At the same time, the feeling of suffocation and oxygen deficiency only increase fear. In such a situation, signs of depression arise. They manifest themselves in the form of depression, isolation, and tearfulness.

When panic attacks occur, pain in the throat is accompanied by increased heart rate and pulse. You may also experience numbness in the limbs, dizziness, pain in the left side of the chest, and a feeling of lack of air. Such attacks have an acute onset and last a maximum of half an hour.

To determine the exact causes of the problem, the doctor must study the influence of psycho-emotional factors on the patient’s condition. In this case, stressful situations, difficult situations at work and at home are important.

What to do if you feel a feeling of choking in your throat

Carrying out diagnostics

To find out why breathing is difficult and to select effective methods for normalizing it, a thorough diagnosis is carried out. To clarify the causes of shortness of breath, the KRH Dental & Medica clinic performs:

• examination of the larynx using direct and indirect laryngoscopy;
• chest x-ray, fluoroscopy, bronchoscopy;
• spirometry, which allows you to assess the state of respiratory function;
• electrocardiography, daily Holter monitoring, determining the characteristics of the heart.

It is also provided for a test to determine the gas composition of the blood. To find out the reason why breathing is difficult, an MRI, tests for allergic reactions, and testing for tumor markers may be required.

Treatment of throat spasms and choking

How to quickly get rid of painful spasms in the pharynx that accompany the pathological condition?

The following tips are most effective in this case:

• The first step is to ensure peace and quiet for the patient.
• Open the window to allow fresh air into the room.
• To bring a person to consciousness, you can use ammonia.
• Give the patient a little water (about 100 ml) at room temperature to drink.
• If a person’s condition does not return to normal, you should pat him on the back without making too much effort.
• To relieve severe spasm in the larynx, you can artificially induce vomiting or place the patient in a warm bath.
• If the pathological process occurs against the background of a stuck bone in the throat, then the patient should be urgently sent to the surgical department of the nearest hospital.
• The periodic occurrence of convulsions in the upper respiratory tract should be a reason to immediately call an ambulance. Sometimes this indicates the presence of a serious illness.

If you are confident that asphyxia will develop due to nervous tension, then you should use the most effective treatment methods:

• psychotherapy;
• treatment with medication (an antidepressant and a tranquilizer will quite quickly remove a person from a pathological condition).

If the cause of convulsive spasms is allergic edema, then specialists usually prescribe effective drugs such as:

• Diphenhydramine;
• Suprastina;
• Tavegila.

When spasms appear against the background of pronounced bronchial asthma, it is most advisable to use drugs that help normalize the functioning of the bronchi.