Verywell / Jessica Olah
What Does a Tightening Throat Feel Like?
The pattern of symptoms can help you and your healthcare provider understand the cause.
Stomach acid is very damaging to the tissue of the esophagus and throat.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
A narrowing of the esophagus can occur when the tissue is damaged, and scar tissue is formed.
Food may also become lodged in the esophagus.
GERD is extremely common throughout the world, and the incidence is escalating in the United States.
Since 2010, it has notably increased among individuals 30 to 39.
The prevalence is approximately 18.1% to 27.8% in North America.
Treatment
Diet and lifestyle changes can help to reduce or eliminate GERD symptoms.
These include:
Medications for GERD include over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs.
If your symptoms don’t improve with OTC options, see your healthcare provider.
Some common medications for GERD include:
Surgery or other medical procedures may also be necessary in some cases.
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders can result in panic attacks.
You may also hyperventilate, with breathing that’s rapid and shallow.
Although it feels like a medical emergency, anxiety and panic attacks typically are not imminently dangerous.
There are multiple treatment options to help people manage the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
The most common include prescribed medication and/or psychotherapy.
Those with a panic disorder often try both, plus practicingself-help and coping techniques.
It usually occurs due to allergies to insect bites and stings, certain foods and medications, or latex.
While allergies to these substances are prevalent, anaphylaxis is not.
Throat Tightness Due to Allergic Reaction
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency.
Epinephrine is the standard treatment for anaphylaxis.
Oxygen, IV fluids,antihistamines, and steroid medications may also be administered.
A second set of tonsils called the lingual tonsils, is located in the throat below the palatine tonsils.
While less common, the lingual tonsils can also become swollen and inflamed.
Some consider the adenoids to be the third set of tonsils.
However, because they are located above the other two sets they are unlikely to cause throat tightness.
Symptoms of tonsillitis include sore throat, red throat, and difficulty swallowing.
Tonsillitis is typically painful but not serious.
For chronic tonsillitis, a completetonsillectomymay be necessary.
Can you have tightness in the throat with COVID-19?
Goiters
Agoiteris a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the thyroid gland.
In most cases, treatment is necessary and customized to the underlying cause of the goiter.
In most cases, MTD can betreated at homewith rest and time.
Due to similar symptoms, VCD attacks can be mistaken for asthma attacks.
Treatment of vocal cord dysfunction is typically a team effort involving an ENT, apulmonologist, and aspeech therapist.
They work together to help those with VCD learn to relax their vocal cords as they breathe.
VCD treatment may also include breathing exercises.
The esophagus sometimes narrows so severely that food can become lodged there.
EoE is a complex condition.
Sometimes, a more strictelemental dietis recommended.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other corticosteroids may also be used as treatments.
The spasms can cause throat tightness, recurring hoarseness, and difficulty speaking or altered speech.
The most common indication of LD is short lapses of the voice which happen suddenly.
LD is often treated withbotulinum toxintherapy, which blocks nerve activity that controls the laryngeal muscles, reducing spasming.
Speech or voice therapy is helpful for some people, and surgery is an option.
In severe cases, eating becomes a challenge, making it impossible to maintain a healthy weight.
Dysphagia can have many causes but occurs most often among older adults (e.g., those withParkinsons diseaseordementia).
Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing may cause dysphagia.
Treatments for dysphagia vary.
Strategies may include:
Cancer
One of thesymptoms of throat canceris feeling a lump in your throat.
Where the cancer begins in the throat also affects the pop in of treatment(s) used.
You should still see a healthcare provider even when it’s not a medical emergency, however.
For example, in rare cases, untreatedstrep throatcan lead to kidney and heart problems.
In fact, it’s possible to go back into anaphylaxis even hours after your initial symptoms have subsided.
You should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Multiple conditions can cause a sensation of tightness in the throat.
GERD, anxiety, tonsillitis, and goiter are a few very treatable examples.
See your healthcare provider or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor.
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