Has anyone experienced a sore neck with a choking feeling and cough before related to your RA.
I’ve had RA for 27 years on Methotrexate for most of them but every now and then I get these strange bouts . Normally they only last a few days but this one’s worse than usual and hasn’t subsided yet .
All along I’ve thought it was linked to the nodules on my thyroid but my GP doesn’t think the small nodules I have would cause that problem although he is sending me to an ENT consultant anyway .
I’ve now been doing my own research on this and found that it could be linked to my RA .
Thanks for reading and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know .
Sue
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Sue4983
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I get a lot of choking and coughing and I was told this is an RA thing and also linked to my fibro as well. I do have days when it happens a lot then get periods of it being quieter BUT then I noted it was linked when flaring more too.
Thank you for your reply . That’s what I’m wondering whether it’s when my inflammation is particularly bad .My other joints don’t feel any more painful than normal though although I do feel like I’ve got a bit of a temperature. I’m wondering whether to get a depo medrone injection just to see if it makes any difference. I haven’t had one for a while but they always seem to do the trick when my joints were flaring . So hard to know what to do for the best !
I get similar, often with continually needing to clear my throat some days. My voice is not so loud as it used to be either. I did read somewhere that most RA patients will have some disruption to their voice over time, and that voice issues are very under diagnosed. I don't have the link to the research, apologies.
Thank you Mmrr . The cough is annoying but it’s the choking feeling that’s the worst especially at night ! I had so little sleep last night I couldn’t even go to work today which is very unlike me .
I've noticed my voice seems quite husky lately. And a couple of times when I've been speaking to people, I've found myself coughing as my throat's felt irritated.
I wasn't sure if it was because I live alone and don't talk a whole lot - or the RA, or the medication or my eye meds. My last blood test threw up a few abnormalities but the repeat was back to normal.
Strangely enough I saw my ENT surgeon yesterday as I have suddenly started choking fits. I eat a few mouthfuls, then all of a sudden food is stuck at one side of my throat and I can’t breathe.9 times out of 10….chicken is the culprit.
Afterwards, I have a sore throat and earache, (?) so ENT was the specialty my Rheumy thought appropriate …not gastroenterology.
ENT is sending me for a barium swallow, because the camera up my nose to look at my throat didn’t go down far enough, and I didn’t really want a full blown endoscopy.
Will see what turns up! I do have Sjrögrens…so it could be associated with that?
I had a similar experience some time ago. It was a pharyngeal pouch . I was choking most times I ate.
Transpired I was aspirating food and drink into my lungs causing me to have a bout of pneumonia. I ended up in hospital for 5 weeks with an IV antibiotics and an NG tube inserted as I was “ nil by mouth. Once they had the pneumonia under control, they repaired the Pharangeal pouch.
Yes I’ve had similar before biologics, although I have AS not RA. When in a bad flare I used to get the sensation of something being stuck, and constantly needing to cough. I would also lose my voice for like 9-10 weeks at a time. Was referred to ENT who passed a scope, and said all the issues were caused by the inflammation from my AS filtering out from my jaw to nearby structures. It s also causes chronic inflammation of the sinuses. Thankfully rarely happens since being on biologics, although I do need a long term steroid nasal spray.
yes I’ve had constant throat issues, neck pain and oddly ear pain since my diagnosis of Adult Onset Stills Disease which for me manifests as rheumatoid Disease. I have been medication free apart from pain relief for many years. I have had a camera look at my throat which found nothing yet it’s stingy, sore, swollen, red, inflamed, yellow patches, white patches, inside of cheeks and roof of mouth also affected. I cough excessively after eating and think it could be caused by acid reflux.
I also have heartburn and recently had a gastroscopy looking for something else and it was very painful in my throat and hurt for several days afterwards.
Interestingly I had a lump cut off my gum that started out looking like a bit of cherry stuck between the teeth. It got uncomfortably large hence the removal 17 years ago but is growing back. Dentist says I have good teeth and this is an overgrowth of soft tissue and nothing to worry about. I’m sure my throat is connected to RD as it’s worse when I flare. I’m resigned to living with it as it’s so hard to get help these days.
Thank you Stills Sorry you’ve had all those problems . Having thyroid nodules it’s so difficult to know what’s causing it but as it comes and goes it makes sense that it’s connected to when my RA is flaring . I’m having a depo medrone injection today so I’ll have to see if that helps.
When you go ENT ask about vocal cord dysfunction. I have similar symptoms. I keep asking doctors and they say “maybe” but they don’t do anything about it. It’s something handled by a speech therapist and I can’t find one who handles it. It involves a manipulative exercise you do with your fingers as if you’re massaging your throat. I get choking attacks that seem to be getting more frequent.
Good luck. I hope you find out what is causing your symptoms and that they can help you straight away. God bless.
Sorry that you're going through that. I was also experiencing the cough and choking feeling. I was always clearing my throat. I suffered four quite a long time . My Primary Care physician referred me to an ENT specialist and diagnosed me with GERD. I was prescribed Omeprazole 20 mg. twice a day and also Pepcid at night. I am doing a lot better now. Hopefully at my next visit to the ENT I will be tapered off the meds. I have SLE so I guess that has a lot to do with it. It might help to get a wedge pillow to sleep on to elevate your upper body. Wish you all the best.
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