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What causes Clicking or Popping in Throat when Swallowing?
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (334)Comment receiving replies
I will try to keep this short but informative. We had a cold run through our house a couple weeks ago. Typical congestion, light coughing etc. I remember my throat being very dry and plenty of post nasal drip from the sickness but didn’t really feel that bad, none of us did. With my throat being really dry I remember swallowing constantly. During that swallowing a popping in my throat appeared. At least that’s when I remember myself noticing the popping.
The popping is at the top of my swallow. At my Adam’s apple/below my chin. It feels like a cartilage or tendon pop. It only occurs while looking straight ahead. Left, right, up or down results in no pop. I also feel no pop while eating or drinking. I have no pain and no trouble breathing or swallowing. I don’t recall any “trauma” to my throat but who knows when you wrestle a 4 and two year old all day.
I did got to my general practitioner a he said it does seem odd but doesn’t feel it’s something to worry over. He recommended me to an ENT to talk to an expert.
This is going on for two weeks now and my anxiety is through the roof thinking I have throat cancer and I can’t seem to convince myself otherwise. I guess I’m just a fatalist. Just turning to the mayo community for some help. Please and thank you.
Replies to "I will try to keep this short but informative. We had a cold run through our..."
I feel crazy.
Ok hang in there. Think positive. We are doing everything we can to get some answers. We will be ok. Stress doesn’t make it any better either. Yes please keep me posted!
Went to my chiropractor today. She too thought it to be kind of weird but she believes it to be ligament or tendon causing the popping. It didn’t really give me much peace of mind but she did tell me it’s probably not what I fear it but to be and should relax a little. She did tell me to lay on my back on my bed with my neck and head stretched back over the edge. And to swallow looking straight and to the sides a few times as a stretch to try and help. Guess I’ll give it a shot. I will update after my ent appointment on Monday.
Went to ENT this morning. His conclusion without a doubt was my hyoid bone and adams appl/thyroid cartilage are rubbing. He did say it's not too uncommon and that he has performed a few surgeries a year fixing this problem for people. He would basically remove the center area of the hyoid to avoid the contact. He had the camera that goes up your nose to look down into the throat and told me we could do it but it's about 300 bucks and he knew he wouldn't find anything because he knew the issue. I told him i didn't care and to look anyways. After looking he said everything looked great and saw no issues. He pointed out, the reason it doesn't pop when head is turned or looking up or down is because that articulation separates the two. He told me to relax, its nothing to worry about and if it is bothering me enough, we can get the surgery and get it fixed.
I recently developed this problem and mine started with a dry mouth/throat also. Did you end up having surgery or did it go away? Mine has been going on for 3 weeks now and I’ve seen 2 doctors who have no idea what’s wrong with me. Next step is ENT.
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Same here. Nobody seems to know what this is or how to fix it. I pray it go away for us very soon.