1. < Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

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?

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rockysolomon995 | @rockysolomon995 | Dec 5, 2023

I have been following this thread for a little over a year and have documented my journey so far. Like most of you I have been to countless doctors and finally ended up at Stanford Medical where I met the extraordinary
Dr. Damrose. He found out what was causing my click in my throat. After a CT scan he noticed my right side thyroid cartilage looked abnormal but there was no way of knowing unless they went in there. On July 7th I finally had the surgery to correct the clicking in my throat. After surgery he came in and told me that the thyroid cartilage was almost bent 90 degrees which was causing all the issues. He doesn't know how this might have happened. I could've been born with it, it could have been from past neck trauma I had as a teenager. The surgery lasted about 45 mins to an hour. After surgery I was discharged and was on my way home. Recovery was pretty simple just a little bit of a sore neck and sore throat. All the literature I have read, is that the only way to correct this problem is by surgery. My doctor was amazing he never pressured me to get the surgery, he said its up to me and whenever I was ready he would be glad to do it. The scar is a little bigger than I thought but they did such a great job you can't really see the scar anymore they hid it in one of my neck folds. Like most of you I had no pain associated with the click, just the constant annoyance. I was worried there would be long term complications form this surgery, but he said there is nothing to worry about in the coming future. He assured me the surgery is a very simple surgery and not very complex. I go back in May for my final follow up to make sure everything is healing right.

REPLY
2 replies
ilikecake123 | @ilikecake123 | Dec 26, 2023

I am also suffering with throat clicking, and am yet to see a doctor that understands
I've been on all sorts of medications to try to fix it, but nothing has changed. Has anyone on here had a CT scan done?

REPLY
ilikecake123 | @ilikecake123 | Dec 26, 2023
In reply to @rockysolomon995 "I have been following this thread for a little over a year and have documented my..." + (show)
@rockysolomon995

I have been following this thread for a little over a year and have documented my journey so far. Like most of you I have been to countless doctors and finally ended up at Stanford Medical where I met the extraordinary
Dr. Damrose. He found out what was causing my click in my throat. After a CT scan he noticed my right side thyroid cartilage looked abnormal but there was no way of knowing unless they went in there. On July 7th I finally had the surgery to correct the clicking in my throat. After surgery he came in and told me that the thyroid cartilage was almost bent 90 degrees which was causing all the issues. He doesn't know how this might have happened. I could've been born with it, it could have been from past neck trauma I had as a teenager. The surgery lasted about 45 mins to an hour. After surgery I was discharged and was on my way home. Recovery was pretty simple just a little bit of a sore neck and sore throat. All the literature I have read, is that the only way to correct this problem is by surgery. My doctor was amazing he never pressured me to get the surgery, he said its up to me and whenever I was ready he would be glad to do it. The scar is a little bigger than I thought but they did such a great job you can't really see the scar anymore they hid it in one of my neck folds. Like most of you I had no pain associated with the click, just the constant annoyance. I was worried there would be long term complications form this surgery, but he said there is nothing to worry about in the coming future. He assured me the surgery is a very simple surgery and not very complex. I go back in May for my final follow up to make sure everything is healing right.

Jump to this post

So your clicking has gone now that the offending cartilage has been removed? That is fantastic! Do you mind me asking, was it front of the throat (thyroid cartilage lamina) or back of the throat (superior cornu)?

REPLY
1 reply
rockysolomon995 | @rockysolomon995 | Dec 26, 2023
In reply to @ilikecake123 "So your clicking has gone now that the offending cartilage has been removed? That is fantastic!..." + (show)
@ilikecake123

So your clicking has gone now that the offending cartilage has been removed? That is fantastic! Do you mind me asking, was it front of the throat (thyroid cartilage lamina) or back of the throat (superior cornu)?

Jump to this post

Superior Cornu was bent. He had no idea how that could’ve happened. I could have been born with it and as you get older the neck starts to curve toward which will run against it. Or it could have been from past trauma I had. I also had a bad habit of holding in my sneezes which he said puts a lot of pressure on neck. So it could have been that over the years.

REPLY
2 replies
ilikecake123 | @ilikecake123 | Dec 26, 2023
In reply to @rockysolomon995 "Superior Cornu was bent. He had no idea how that could’ve happened. I could have been..." + (show)
@rockysolomon995

Superior Cornu was bent. He had no idea how that could’ve happened. I could have been born with it and as you get older the neck starts to curve toward which will run against it. Or it could have been from past trauma I had. I also had a bad habit of holding in my sneezes which he said puts a lot of pressure on neck. So it could have been that over the years.

Jump to this post

Thank you for that information, so glad you have yours resolved. It must be such a relief. Mine feels like thyroid lamina at the front of my throat. I shall keep searching for a diagnosis and a treatment.

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coop808 | @coop808 | Jan 11 1:34pm

I have had the same issue for 3 weeks now. After a throat infection, I started to belch a lot, then all of a sudden when I was eating dinner, pop. Every swallow I felt a pop/click sensation to the left hyoid area.
I’ve been suffering from gastritis which is why I have been burping, have been put on meds for this but the popping is not Globus sensation like I think the drs think. It doesn’t feel like anything is in my throat or have pain swallowing. I can put my fingers on the area and can feel the pop. It doesn’t always do it, only certain positions. I have to sleep and eat certain ways. It’s really alarming to feel throughout the day and it’s hard not to think about.
An A&E Dr just said it’s strange and said there’s no point in scanning my neck and not to worry. The latest dr has referred me to ENT so hopefully they will listen but it looks like it confuses drs. I hope I can get this sorted because it’s not a great sensation

REPLY
2 replies
calisurfer | @wittynit | Jan 22 9:00am
In reply to @rockysolomon995 "Superior Cornu was bent. He had no idea how that could’ve happened. I could have been..." + (show)
@rockysolomon995

Superior Cornu was bent. He had no idea how that could’ve happened. I could have been born with it and as you get older the neck starts to curve toward which will run against it. Or it could have been from past trauma I had. I also had a bad habit of holding in my sneezes which he said puts a lot of pressure on neck. So it could have been that over the years.

Jump to this post

Hey mate I think this is exactly what happened to me. Is there a chance we could talk. I just had surgery for this on one side but I think holding in my sneezes is what let to the cornu to bend on the other side. Is there a way to DM each other here? Do u have an email ID to contact you on? Can you DM me ? For whatever reason, I am unable to DM you

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ilikecake123 | @ilikecake123 | Jan 23 8:43pm
In reply to @coop808 "I have had the same issue for 3 weeks now. After a throat infection, I started..." + (show)
@coop808

I have had the same issue for 3 weeks now. After a throat infection, I started to belch a lot, then all of a sudden when I was eating dinner, pop. Every swallow I felt a pop/click sensation to the left hyoid area.
I’ve been suffering from gastritis which is why I have been burping, have been put on meds for this but the popping is not Globus sensation like I think the drs think. It doesn’t feel like anything is in my throat or have pain swallowing. I can put my fingers on the area and can feel the pop. It doesn’t always do it, only certain positions. I have to sleep and eat certain ways. It’s really alarming to feel throughout the day and it’s hard not to think about.
An A&E Dr just said it’s strange and said there’s no point in scanning my neck and not to worry. The latest dr has referred me to ENT so hopefully they will listen but it looks like it confuses drs. I hope I can get this sorted because it’s not a great sensation

Jump to this post

I totally get you. It's an awful sensation. I'm 5 months in to my diagnostic journey and pretty much everyone is stumped. Mine is getting worse and happens every time I swallow now. Front left hyoid region for me.

REPLY
1 reply
photoshopqueen | @photoshopqueen | Feb 6 1:03am
In reply to @ilikecake123 "I totally get you. It's an awful sensation. I'm 5 months in to my diagnostic journey..." + (show)
@ilikecake123

I totally get you. It's an awful sensation. I'm 5 months in to my diagnostic journey and pretty much everyone is stumped. Mine is getting worse and happens every time I swallow now. Front left hyoid region for me.

Jump to this post

I have this too!!! Front right. Like a crunching sensation when swallowing. Sometimes popping/snapping…

REPLY
photoshopqueen | @photoshopqueen | Feb 6 1:05am
In reply to @coop808 "I have had the same issue for 3 weeks now. After a throat infection, I started..." + (show)
@coop808

I have had the same issue for 3 weeks now. After a throat infection, I started to belch a lot, then all of a sudden when I was eating dinner, pop. Every swallow I felt a pop/click sensation to the left hyoid area.
I’ve been suffering from gastritis which is why I have been burping, have been put on meds for this but the popping is not Globus sensation like I think the drs think. It doesn’t feel like anything is in my throat or have pain swallowing. I can put my fingers on the area and can feel the pop. It doesn’t always do it, only certain positions. I have to sleep and eat certain ways. It’s really alarming to feel throughout the day and it’s hard not to think about.
An A&E Dr just said it’s strange and said there’s no point in scanning my neck and not to worry. The latest dr has referred me to ENT so hopefully they will listen but it looks like it confuses drs. I hope I can get this sorted because it’s not a great sensation

Jump to this post

Any answers yet? Exact same situation here

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