Chronic throat clearing

@vinman789 Hello, and welcome to Connect. I clear my throat a lot, but it is because of allergies and asthma. When I am exposed to something that triggers me, my lungs produce phlegm as a protection and this phlegm must move upward to be cleared out. That also depends on lung movement and breathing properly to effectively move the phlegm or it can get stuck and cause infections. I have some physical tightness on one side of my body and have had one side of my ribs not expand enough and that has lead to chest infections starting on that side.

If you have never been tested for allergies, that may be something to consider. You can also try over the counter antihistamines or something like Mucinex which thins the phlegm and makes it easier to clear. I don't know if you smoke, but smoking paralyzes the cilia which are the hair like projections of the cells lining the airways. These are beating to move the phlegm upward. That creates some difficulty clearing the airways if the cilia stop working.

Wow, 48 hours ago I would not have had anything to add to Jennifer's comments. You could be describing my husband - for all of the many years we have been together!
He has tried everything - sometimes in combination - and nothing completely resolved it. His was not post nasal drip or GERD either.
Last week his pain management doc, of all people, recommended Azelastine nasal spray. We just learned it is available over the counter in the same strength as the prescription version. Just a few days, and his throat clearing has almost disappeared! And he has been able to stop 2 of his 3 allergy meds.

Sue

Has anyone suggested that it may be a tic? Tics are autonomic (you don't have control) movements or speech that are part of a disorder known as Tourette's syndrome. I have a friend that has a tic of clearing her throat. Tic can sometimes be managed by medications but you should perhaps consult a psychiatrist or neurologist if this hasn't already been ruled out.

I have appointment with neurologist coming up in a month.
He specializes in tics so hopefully he can help

Do you have any difficulty with swallowing? Have you had any swallow studies. I assume you’ve tried simple things like sucking on lozenges, cough drops, drinking water etc. Any trouble with your ears?

Have you had any xrays of your neck? Sometimes people develop osteophytes, bony protrusions that stick out into your pharynx. That can trigger a cough reflex. Is your GERD under control?

I’ll see about trying that

Yes I had reflux surgery 4 years ago. It seemed to make it worse

I have been tested for allergy’s and I’m mildly allergic to some rare kind of grass

I found an allergy to wheat and dairy. Cut out and got better. Also Mulleine tea helped