What causes Clicking or Popping in Throat when Swallowing?

I ended up getting a CT where some calcification was found. The nasal endoscopy also pointed out that there is a delay of the epiglottis after my swallow, it is pushing on the back of my throat and once it returns to the normal position it creates a clicking sound with along with a vibration feeling on the left side. Mentally I'm feeling a bit better now that I am closer to knowing what was causing the clicking but extremely frustrated that this is happening every time I swallow. I've been told this is an annoyance and I was recommended to see a speech language pathologist to see what they thought. Just wanted to provide an update to everyone here.

wow....this thread/topic has lasted a long time. I have read most of all the comments. Here is my story 2 1/2 years later with no idea:
I have had the same/similar issue for 2 1/2 years now. I went to my ENT back then for it. He was able to feel the "click" when I swallowed which gave me a sigh of relief that I wasn't nuts. Upon visualization with a nasopharyngeal scope he found 2 thyroid nodules which turned out to be cancerous. I had a left lobe partial thyroidectomy. I thought I would wake from surgery to have the clicking gone. Unfortunately the click is still there. Finding the cancer was just a coincidence. My click has no pain associated with it. It just drives me nuts. As with most, I only have it looking straight on. It doesn't bother me drinking or eating. I am thinking it is not the hyoid bone because I have never had pain. Who knows. Will continue to follow this thread.

Welcome @sorsini1, It's definitely great to hear that the clicking at least found the cancer and you were able to have it removed. While we wait for others to respond, I thought I would share this interesting article I found on similar symptoms.

A Throat that Clicks: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8339886/

You mentioned it's been awhile since seeing an ENT. Have you thought about getting a second opinion or seeking help at a major teaching hospital or health facility?

I am too suffering from this. I am waiting to have a CT scan scheduled. So annoying I pray this goes away.

Hello everyone, I read all your experiences and it's good to know that I'm not alone. I'm 23 years old and I've been struggling with clicking larynx while swallowing for a week now. I can palpate it in my hyoid bone especially when my head is flexed. Fortunately there isn't any pain but as you all know the sensation is so annoying and draws my attention every time I swallow.
Today I went to an ENT doctor, he is mostly specialized in laryngeal problems. Please look for the doctor's CV or social media before you go and make sure they're interested in larynx. He could feel the click as well and told me if I went to another ENT doctor they probably wouldn't care about it because of lack of their knowledge. He told me the best option surgery if it affects my daily life and psychology. If I consider surgery we'll see which parts are in contact with swallow imaging and he'll shave these parts. The procedure is similar to correcting a trans person's Adam's apple.
I'm afraid of having surgery even though I know most of the people have in their lives. So we talked about other options, he said gaining weight can help it since fat tissue will accumulate in my neck but not the best option so I will try suprahyoid muscle exercises.
I know it's a long process but I will be patient and try not to focus my life to my swallowing. I know it's annoying but there're so much worse health issues. I will let you know if there'll be any improvement with suprahyoid exercises.

Welcome @comiendoll, I'm glad to hear you found an ENT doctor who was able to provide some answers and possible options. If it were my decision to make, I think I would go with the suprahyoid muscle exercises also. Definitely wouldn't do the gaining weight option and add to my other struggles and surgery is always a risk unless it's the last resort, for me anyway.

Can you provide an update after working with the suprahyoid muscle exercises for awhile?

I developed this throat clicking/popping two days ago and it has been unrelenting since then. The popping is not particularly painful, but it feels uncomfortable and grosses me out, it is producing a lot of anxiety every time I need to swallow as I never know if it will surprise me with a pop. It feels like cartilage rubbing or getting caught on something, or like a lymph node or tumor rubbing against the structures of my throat. Like a lot of you here, I worry it could be cancer or something scary like that. The surrounding tissues have become sore and tender now. Mine does not click when I look straight ahead, instead it pops and clicks when I look down or to the left. Sometimes it pops without swallowing if I turn my head quickly or cough or when I pronounce certain words. This has happened to me before in the past and has always freaked me out, but it never lasted for more than a few hours to a day. I used to worry about thyroid cancer when it happened. It also feels like I have a lot of phlegm in my throat but I don't really seem to have it, its just the sensation of fullness. I also have a minty menthol feeling that rises up from the back of my throat, I've read this could be acid reflux/laryngopharyngeal reflux related. Apparently a lump in throat feeling is also related, but the popping feels more like it is something catching on something or something in my throat's anatomy is out of alignment. Perhaps in my case it is acid reflux and it is causing inflammation and swelling and that is when the cartilage or hyoid bone catches on something? And when my swelling is down, it stops doing it? I'm hoping this goes away soon and I am not stuck with this long-term. I see an ENT next week.

I have not been diagnosed with Eagle’s syndrome but just started hearing about it. Two years ago I had surgery at Mayo to cut some nerves in my neck because of the pain in my face, eye and neck. It helped a lot even though the surgeon wasn’t sure why. Vertigo is now the major problem. When I flex my neck backwards as in having my hair washed, having a massage, chiropractic visit and even placing a contact in my eye, has caused extreme dizziness, vomiting and spinning lasting for hours and keeping me I bed for days. It has happened several time while I am sleeping.
Nothing has been found on the scans do I am wearing a surgical collar 24/7 to prevent movement. I has been 6 weeks with no episodes. Could this be Eagle’s Syndrome? I see my neurologist again next week.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @cubmomsen. Glad you found the site. I thought you might be interested in this discussion. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eagles-syndrome. It is a very longstanding conversation about Eagle Syndrome.

you need to have a CT scan in order to know the the cartilage's condition