What causes Clicking or Popping in Throat when Swallowing?

Posted by mushroom @mushroom, Oct 2, 2020

I was doing some neck massages a few days ago and then afterwards whenever I swallow, I feel a clicking/popping sensation and sound when my larynx moves up upon swallow. There is no pain at the moment but the popping sensation in my throat gives me anxiety whenever I swallow. Is this the result of the cartilage rubbing on each other? Is it from the hyoid bone rubbing the thyroid cartilage? Are there exercises that can fix this?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

@jerics

Hi! Yes it does sound similar, indeed. Was it confirmed that it was a viral infection? I understand you've had this for a long time from what I've read from you, and you haven't noticed any significant improvement or relief?

I've had similar symptoms, like pain or pressure on one side, leading up to this which is now constant more or less. But I don't know if I had an infection. Doctors saw nothing in my throat.

The clicking is so strange, it mostly comes when I tense my throat after swallowing. But sometimes when I swallow as well. It's like a pressure building up with each swallow. Globus sensation is pretty much constant.

I'm so tense, it's radiating all over my throat and chest - even affecting breathing lately, although it could be anxiety, the pressure seems to be related to a physical problem. Indeed, anxiety probably makes the muscles around the throat extremely tense, so I wonder if those rub or clench around these structures: hyoid, larynx or cervical spine(?).

Doctors have actually pointed out that a vertebra in my neck is slightly bulging. And I don't think it's unheard of that it can cause dysphagia. I could be totally misleading though. So whether that is related or not remains to be seen.

Jump to this post

I went to a ent and they told me the popping in my throat is from anxiety/ tension and eustachian tube dysfunction and acid reflux it comes and goes

REPLY
@scrypto

Hey all, this thread has been a great help and to see others with this issue has been reassuring when I felt alone. I’ve had the ‘popping’ sensation for 6 months now, where when my head is in certain positions, i.e Facing down to the left, i get a jolt around the hyoid bone area, where the hyoid bone jolts to the right, almost like a muscle or ligament is catching. It can then either keep doing it every time i swallow saliva/food/drink, or not at all, it’s easy quite inconsistent. Doesnt hurt but definitely makes you wonder what’s going on when it jolts, almost like an elastic band being flicked in the throat. Ive seen 3 gp’s and all said nothing to worry about… non smoker/otherwise healthy etc but still feeling the ‘pop’ i was concerned something was more serious that was being ignored, i.e the big C word which drives my anxiety wild (perhaps part of the issue), which could be pushing everything out of place. With this in mind i pushed for a ENT appointment, which i got, and had to wait 4 months for!. Today i had the full appointment, with examination and endoscopy, which revealed no issues at all apart from small nasal polyps and postnasal mucus and dry throat, which could be causing the pop. I feel better that nothing sinister was seen, nor was any sign of reflux, even though i do get that. I still wish i knew what was causing the pop but after this appointment i do feel it’s a case of being hyper focused on the area making it 10x worse, which hopefully will fade over time. I also have an impacted wisdom tooth which I’ve seen mentioned in here, perhaps pushing something out of line! Right now though i feel at ease for the first time in 6m and not concentrating on every swallow!

Jump to this post

Hello, what you wrote makes a lot of sense, I remember that when the click started, almost a year ago, I worried much more than necessary, and it turned out that I also became hyperfocused in that region, which certainly made it a small problem , "big". After that time, I could mainly notice that the other side also clicks! something I hadn't noticed before because I focused too much on one side... So, as I said in the texts I wrote 3-4 months ago, the cracks (in their vast majority) are something normal, which invariably happen in the bone hyoid and thyroid cartilage, CAN SOMETIMES be indicative of a micro-trauma, - note I said "sometimes" hyoid/laryngeal trauma is relatively rare, even with such massages - as some people (such as singing professionals, actors and voice actors) do laryngeal movement exercises... it is a very delicate region, I would recommend not venturing into massage, speech therapists know how to do it correctly, so if anyone reading this text wants to venture into laryngeal massage to improve diction, or relax muscles to speak, lecture, sing or whatever, go to a speech therapist first, it's the best thing to do, believe. Some people may feel this click more, and others less, because as the hyoid bone is naturally almost touching the cervical spine, it is common for it to stick a little there... and as the size of the hyoid varies from person to person person, some may feel a more attenuated click, I suspect that much of this topic is male, so we tend to feel more discomfort in this region because it is more prominent.

(I don't know why, but after I posted this text I realized that it is repeated 3x. maybe it's a bug around here, but if not, ignore the repetition.)

REPLY
@colleenyoung

Hi @sadsinger, I'm glad that you have an upcoming appointment with an ENT specialist.

In the meantime, I moved your question to this existing discussion:
- What causes Clicking or Popping in Throat when Swallowing?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/clickingpopping-throat-when-swallowing/

I did this so you can read previous posts and connect with other members with similar issues.

Jump to this post

Hi, I really wish you hadn't done this as it removed the title of my post which included name of the device: the BREATHER VOICE by PN MEDICAL.

REPLY
@sadsinger

Hi, I really wish you hadn't done this as it removed the title of my post which included name of the device: the BREATHER VOICE by PN MEDICAL.

Jump to this post

Would you like me to add the title with the name of the device to your original post?

REPLY

I’ve been struggling with this for almost two months - no pain - just uncomfy at times - only happens when passing saliva not food or water. I was really ill (flu/cold) for like 3 weeks and this started. Any solutions?

REPLY

Hi everyone, I just started with the clicking sensation on my left side of my throat. It goes away when I look up, eat or drink or when I look to the right side. It is frustrating because one day you wake up with this sensation, and anxiety wants to creep in and all you want to do is swallow. I'm have an appt. to go see the ENT in April. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Everytime I feel it I thank God I have a throat where I can swallow, speak, eat etc. Take deep breathes, and try to maintain calm making yourself worry will make the sensation even worse because everything becomes tense.
Psalm 103:1-5

REPLY

Relaxing helps a lot, as does finding a position to swallow in which the clicking will not occur. This will help you reduce the amount of worry and attention you give to it. Seeing yourself in the mirror while swallowing and practicing also helps, and amen to Psalm 103:1-5. My sickness has brought me closer to my Lord Jesus. Before, I was lost in sin and forgot about my spiritual life, but now every swallow reminds me of Jesus' call.
Matthew 6:27 Worrying will not solve anything; instead, focus on your faith and trust in God to provide.

REPLY
@lilymeod

Hi everyone, I just started with the clicking sensation on my left side of my throat. It goes away when I look up, eat or drink or when I look to the right side. It is frustrating because one day you wake up with this sensation, and anxiety wants to creep in and all you want to do is swallow. I'm have an appt. to go see the ENT in April. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Everytime I feel it I thank God I have a throat where I can swallow, speak, eat etc. Take deep breathes, and try to maintain calm making yourself worry will make the sensation even worse because everything becomes tense.
Psalm 103:1-5

Jump to this post

https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/822956/
Relaxing helps a lot, as does finding a position to swallow in which the clicking will not occur. This will help you reduce the amount of worry and attention you give to it. Seeing yourself in the mirror while swallowing and practicing also helps, and amen to Psalm 103:1-5. My sickness has brought me closer to my Lord Jesus. Before, I was lost in sin and forgot about my spiritual life, but now every swallow reminds me of Jesus' call.
Matthew 6:27 Worrying will not solve anything; instead, focus on your faith and trust in God to provide.

REPLY
@captainj

https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/822956/
Relaxing helps a lot, as does finding a position to swallow in which the clicking will not occur. This will help you reduce the amount of worry and attention you give to it. Seeing yourself in the mirror while swallowing and practicing also helps, and amen to Psalm 103:1-5. My sickness has brought me closer to my Lord Jesus. Before, I was lost in sin and forgot about my spiritual life, but now every swallow reminds me of Jesus' call.
Matthew 6:27 Worrying will not solve anything; instead, focus on your faith and trust in God to provide.

Jump to this post

Yes. Amen @captainj thankfully it went away praise God. I'm glad that you found your way back to Jesus. Seriously, there's no way I can live a day without Him in my life. Now I'm currently in the hospital because I have diarrhea with mucus, nausea, excessive gas. It's been 5 days tried the BRAT it didn't help. They're checking my stool praying to God that it is nothing bad. 🙏

REPLY

Hi Everyone, I'm in Canada and I've been dealing with this issue on and off for over 6 years now. I've had trouble swallowing all my life, food often getting stuck "down the wrong pipe".

My first "clicking throat" event was triggered during my second pregnancy after swallowing wrong and having to cough out a piece of fruit. I described it at the time as the plucking of a rubber band or guitar string, somewhere on my right side, every time I swallowed. Our doctor, midwife, and chiropractor all took a turn examining me and the chiropractor said she could feel something different on my right side near the hyoid, but had no recommendations. I got a throat x-ray which turned up nothing. Eventually the sensation faded or I got used to it, I don't remember.

Fast forward to now when I thought I might have a tonsil stone due to a feeling at the back of my throat. Washed the stone out but the irritation remained, and the clicking sound/sensation returned full force, now feels more like cartilage grinding than elastic. I have also been suffering from chronic acid reflux and fluid/plugged ears for months. I feel the clicking so strongly that I haven't been able to eat and rely on a few bites and some Ensure-type drinks most of the day. If I have eaten more, by the end of the day the side of my neck/throat feels sore.

Wait times here for an ENT are extremely long and my doctor knows I have anxiety, so I am worried I will say the wrong thing or not be taken seriously. I am not sure what to ask to be done, or if there is literature I can direct my doctor to read if he doesn't know what to do. I also have so many issues in that area (teeth grinding due to sleep apnea, chronic congestion/allergies, jaw clenching) that are co-occurring that I'm afraid that will muddy the waters.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.