I have had a slight occasional tickle on the back right side of my throat for several years now. In the last year or two it has become much more easily irritated and I feel like food has gone down the wrong way far more easily. I am often not actually using eating when this happens, it happens when I am drinking and also if I am just swallowing saliva, it's as if I don't swallow properly if I am not concentrating. At work a couple of months ago I had this happen really badly without anything triggering it at all. My throat just closed up and I couldn't breathe in. I took my asthma inhaler, but it was getting better of its own accord by the time I had got my inhaler out of my handbag and I don't think the inhaler actually helped.
I looked it up and it seems to be a laryngospasm. It said one of the causes is asthma, which I developed following covid in Feb 2020. I started using fostair after my covid vaccine made the asthma worse in March 2021. The fostair irritates my throat and I wondered if that was the cause of the recent spasms, they seems to be getting worse now.
Has anyone else had this experience and was there anything you could do about it?
FYI I don't have GERD, which seems to be the other cause, if anything I have low levels of stomach acid.
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JenniferW
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Hi Jennifer, I have had this since childhood. It it disressing and frightening. But, there are things you can do during an episode. Have a look on the net, I find that breathing in through the nose, sticking your tongue out then breathing out through your mouth helps. It opens the larynx apparently. It passes of its own accord in about a mimute ( although it seems a lot longer). And the bronchodilators don't seem to help at all. You are not alone.
yes I have this also. There are breathing techniques and exercises that help. Can you get a referral to speech and language and physiotherapy specialising in airways? One of the exercises is The Silent Yawn. Make yourself yawn but keep your mouth closed and the yawn should stretch your throat. Another is talking more slowly and taking more frequent breaths down into your abdomen. Shoulder rolls and gentle neck stretches help keep muscles relaxed. Tipping head backwards and bringing lower teeth over top lip. Also tiny breathes into the abdomen to settle twitchy lungs and throat then a gentle breath in without breathing in too deeply, hold for a count of 4 then gently out whilst consciously relaxing chest, neck, throat, tongue, lips etc. do these little breaths when you feel throat is twitchy or tickly to reduce the chance of coughing . This helps prevent throat becoming inflamed and more twitchy. Sip water throughout the day to keep it moist and breathe through your nose.
Know what triggers you and do your best to avoid it. Best wishes.
Thank you. I actually have a referral to the speech therapist due to problems with my voice fading intermittently, which the ENT specialist said was due to posture. If I ever get an appointment I will talk the speech therapist about this too.
Sometimes inhalers, while relaxing the bronchial tubes, relax the vocal cords as well. That causes hoarseness. Sometimes, right after I take my inhaler and want to eat my throat seems “thick” at first.
Sometimes a thyroid issue influences the larynx because the nerves which control the vocal cords pass through the thyroid gland. (Retired nurse anesthetist here).
I’m 41 and have probably had this about 10 years, it only happens every month or so. As you say it seems to start with a sudden tickle on one side, then throat closes and I can’t breathe! Comes out of the blue and is absolutely terrifying (and so embarrassing in public.) I’m glad you’ve put a name to it so I can read more, and thanks to CallysMum for that tip. Is Fostair a powder inhaler? Because I can’t use those at ALL they play havoc with my throat and lungs
I'm really glad to know it's not just me with that weird tickle. Yes, it's really embarrassing in public, especially if I am eating at work. My husband gets so alarmed because although it's only for a minute, it takes a few minutes afterwards to get over the shock and irritation to the throat if water or food was involved in triggering it.
I don't think Fostair is a powder inhalation, but it certainly has a lot of side effects and I don't feel very happy about being on it. However it is effective at controlling the asthma and the other products also contain steroids, so I don't know if it's worth pushing to try something else.
I have this when my asthma is poorly controlled (waking up at night with a closed throat), and I used to have it in the past because of anxiety. It is, indeed, terrifying. My consultant assured me that if I pass out, my throat will relax and I will be fine :). So reassuring ROFL. So now, when it happens, I just go back to sleep. I guess I got used to it, and it gets quite rare on Xolair.
it is the most frightening thing! When you realise you cannot breathe at all panic sets in. Mine is set off by coughing. I thought I had got over it ( my first bout was in 2013 or so, after a severe bout of bronchitis. ) I had covid recently and the tickly cough has returned, and with it the laryngospasm. My poor husband doesn’t know what to do, neither do I.
I try mouth breathing through a straw, to increase the inhalation pressure. It is about the only thing I can do.
If there is anyone out there with a remedy I would love to know about it.
"Try not to panic or gasp for air. Remaining calm can help you relax more through the laryngospasm.
Take small sips of water. This will help wash away any irritants that may have come in contact with your vocal cords.
Apply pressure behind your earlobes. The soft spot behind your earlobes and just above your jaw is known as the laryngospasm notch. When you apply forceful pressure down and inward on this pressure point, it can help your vocal cords relax."
thank you for that. The reassurance that it will only last a minute or two is not very helpful as every second you are gasping for air seems like a century.
I keep a straw next to my bed so that I can breathe through it. The pressure point is something new.i shall tell my husband about it and see if he can help apply pressure.
I'm so glad I joined this group-i thought this was just me being paranoid and over reacting when something goes down the wrong way! I was diagnosed with asthma in my teens (in the 1980s!) when I told my GP I couldn't breathe sometimes- no pfts or peakflows in those days ! Got inhalers and barely used them until covid came along and asthma reared its ugly head with all of the mask wearing (so I think) i am now on Relvar Ellipta. But in the past few years I have noticed that at least monthly I am 'choking' on the slightest thing- saliva, drinks, food - you name it. Terrifying for me and hubby. I am nervous and cautious about anything in my mouth, struggle to take tablets or more than one swallow of fluid at a time. It has left me a nervous wreck even when I see anyone else starting to choke. I never thought it could be linked to my asthma. I now eat and drink slowly and chew my food well, avoid dry crumbly foods and concentrate on not taking a breath while eating or drinking. Worth asking my asthma nurse?
I have this too,caused by ilo/vcd as well as other airway collaps probs.if u feel larynx/vocal chords close or spasm - read up on ALUK website " controlled breathing techniques" - pursed lips breathing,slow and calm,keep going,it will open/ relax vocal chords.afterwards I take sm sips and tspn clear honey to coat throat x
My son has recently had this - terrifying and distressing but starting to come to terms with it. It seems to happen randomly, something triggers coughing then the throat closes up. Currently advised it may be reflux triggered (feels the need to burp after) so prescribed omeprizole and gaviscon for that and we’ll see how it goes. Not entirely convinced re the treatment but at least not panicking when it happens now. Good luck to you all.
Thanks Anni, I hope your son starts to get control. I am glad you replied as it made me read this thread again. I had got it under control and now it's happen again, I need to do more of the exercises that control it.
I've just realised I never put the speech exercises I was given by the speech therapist on here, these are the four videos, the last one has some exercises for relaxing the muscles around your jaw and throat, they were for my hoarse voice, but helped with the laryngospasms too, the exercises are in the last video.
Hospital appointment this morning, though he’s not had an episode for nearly two weeks now. Larynx looked ok on the camera but some evidence of reflux so will have some further tests and a repeat omeprizole prescription as a precaution.
They reassured us that this is not life threatening. After one of the later incidents at least he watched the videos and it’s helped with his response.
Hi we are dealing with this with our 14 year old. Started 1st aug. Wakes up twice a night unable to breath.. how long did it last for you and is he ok now?
Hi there. Thankfully it stopped after a few weeks. Fairly sure it was reflux (stomach triggered) which is what the doctors suggested.. He changed his lifestyle and diet. Tests didn’t show any specific causes.
Good luck - please do get some qualified medical advice. Teenagers get all sorts of bad advice from their peers and social media etc.
hi, we were also prescribed omeprizole. I know it’s distressing but try to take some reassurance that it’s relatively short lived and not life threatening. My son had a couple of ENT appointments, one with a camera and another where he swallowed a special fluid while they took x rays.
Understanding the trigger(s) is the first step. Good luck. My son has been symptom free for a few months now and not on any medication. Asthma also seems to have improved which is a blessing.
So I had a chest infection/pneumonia as per two different doctors.
Now after I seemed to get better this issue of not being able to breath after a cough started.
Now while I read some people have it come and go but I get a bad episode full panick and lock up once a day sometimes every second day.
With many small episodes during the day, where I can stay calm wait 5 seconds, slow forced breath in and out in and out than resume fairly normal breathing.
The bad ones are the scary ones and I’ve had around 14 now in the last 3 weeks.
So I was on two antibiotics at the same time, two inhalers with steroids and a anti inflammatory with steroid. This was to cure my pneumonia, wondering now if it’s caused damage to my voice box. Causing these spasms.
I am now day 3 no more puffers at all and no meds.
I have gone for a PFT test last week, did a cat scan Monday and have a consult with the thoracic surgeon on the 10th possible do a scope.
This has halted my life, I’m scared to the bone. I feel I’ve lost control of my life as these spasms are all day, every small cough triggers a spasm.
This is great news. Thank you much! We will use your tips for sure. Have you been diagnosed with VCD? Did you do any other tests to see what is the trigger of the laryngospasms? To avoid in the future?
That's interesting, mine has improved over recent months and I didn't understand why, I haven't needed to the breathing exercises very often. I started taking magnesium a few months ago too, so maybe that's why.
Sorry to hear about what you’re experiencing. However scary I hope you can take some comfort from this not being life threatening, even though it may feel like it, especially when happening so frequently.
Thankfully my son has not had an episode for a few weeks now. He went for a test (a barium swallow) but the doctor has not been in contact with the results so I need to keep badgering him to phone up or visit. My suspicion is that the trigger was connected to his heavy gym work and associated diet/supplements causing reflux. He’s now switched to focus on healthier sports and more normal eating, though his large Easter egg didn’t last long! I will update with results but hope that staying as calm as possible and identifying the trigger(s) will help us all through this. Being able to understand it helps and giving yourself time to recover. Sending you my best wishes.
Like many on here I have begun suffering from Laryngospasms.It started with a chest infection leading to bronchitis.
After a long episode I was admitted into hospital where I was kept in for 5 days. Underwent many tests to exclude heart problems. Drs didn't understand what was causing me to stop being able to breathe.
I was waking in the night gasping for air. Lasting for up to 2 minutes or so. Finally prescribed with prednisolone steroids and codiene linctus that should reduce the irritation that leads to the spasms. The steroids will help keep airways open is what I have been told.
I agree it is a very scary thing to experience. Keep calm is the advice but it is easier said than done when suddenly you cannot breath in at all.
Hi, how are you? Are you getting better already? Please, let's share on this group what works and what doesn't. There is such a few cases of those... Some doctors have no idea what they deal with. Our experiences may help a lot to each other and others. Many thanks
I have good medication now which hopefully will work.
I hope you are also getting better?
I have seen many Drs and Consultants over the past 7 weeks and I am now no longer taking the codiene linctus. This has been replaced by 2x 5mg morphine tablets each day (1 morning and 1 night). These I am told will suppress the cough nerve which is causing me most of the issues i am encountering.
The Laryngospasm has occurred again one night last week, waking gasping and unable to breathe.
I am having a sleep study done in the coming weeks/month to assess for Obstructive sleep apnoea. Also been referred for physiotherapy to help me understand how to worl through the inability to breathe and correct the issue as it happens. The cause is basically my vocal chords closing but not reopening which makes it impossible to breath in.
The scariest thing when it happens is not knowing how to correct it to allow me to breath again. So if they can help me understand how to correct it that will be a major breakthrough for me.
I will of course post any tips on here as and when I learn them so hopefully this will help other suffering from the same thing.
Hello, we had some tests done. It looks like we had combo - vcd , infection, irritating inhalers given and a bad allergic reaction to staloral - desensitization.
After some strong treaent with encorton and antihistamines he is much better now. Had brak for two weeks and just one episode on Saturday night.
We now think that he has silent reflux. We are going to see gastrologists tomorrow. I will keep you posted.
Hello, we are from Poland. My Hubby suffer from the laryngospasm. We had them 4 times randomly in th epast, but since the current infection it has got worst. He has attacks every night. Just yesterday we had night off thankfully. In Poland this ilness is barely known. Many dosctors have no idea about the VCD. He was treated with medicines for astma, which made things much much worst. We are going to the hospital tomorrow to start diagnostics. The most important in my opinion is to keep digging for the irritant and the triger. Sending love to all to you! I belive that medicine will bring us cure for this.
Landed here after querying symptoms with ChatGPT when failing to sleep. Wasn’t too convinced but reading this thread it is all making a lot of sense.
Hadn’t even realised that the waking up coughing violently might be connected, nor potentially big coughing fits on saliva or anything else. Today it was the last drop of Diet Coke from the can.
Over time I’ve come to management techniques on my own - just stop, stay calm, breathe slowly and take sips of water if I have some. It goes away quickly but good to read more options.
Was going to check with the doctor if I needed an inhaler, but sounds like maybe not?
First time was a real wheeze, 4/5 years ago just started coughing like crazy all of a sudden on a train platform with my eyes shedding tears of panic, feeling like I couldn’t take back in any of the oxygen I was coughing out. Now when I feel a velcro type sensation in my throat I know it’s time to buckle in.
Thanks to all for the info and advice in this thread!
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