Something in my neck is popping out of place

I am so thankful that I found this group! I have had this for almost 40 years! I am 57F and it happens sporadically (anywhere from every couple of days to every couple of months) for me. I can be yawning, coughing, talking, any number of things. It almost always happens if my head is tilted wrong. It’s both sides for me. My husband can attest to the loud pop when I finally do get it back in place. I understand the feelings of panic! The pain is excruciating as well. It can happen when I’m in bed, taking a walk or simply sitting on the couch. I’ve definitely learned a method to popping it back in place, but sometimes it can take quite while to make it happen. I’ve never mentioned it to my doctor because I could never figure out how to explain it. But thanks to all of you, now I think I can finally bring it up to her. Again, my gratitude to all of you for your honesty and willingness to share! The only things I can think of that might have attributed to it are a few car accidents, and unfortunately an abusive childhood as well as an abusive VERY short marriage in my late teens/early twenties. I’ll definitely update if my doc does anything to try to figure it out 👍🏻

I just had this issue a few minutes ago, and this has been going on for the past few years. I thought this was because I play the Trombone, but I guess it is not because people have it randomly.

I have been to an Emergency Room and went to different 2 ENT doctors but they said everything was normal. I even took scans, wore neck braces, and did some massages, but did not work whatsoever.

I'm currently very stressed as I am about to go to college soon. farther away from my family, so if this happens, it would be hard for me to get help either from roommates or other people around me.

This has been making me cry myself to sleep constantly to the depressed thought that this would go on for the rest of my life as I have many many more years to live.

I speak on behalf of everybody on this thread that we beg any specialists to look through this in-depth, as I am sure there are even hundreds, thousands, and millions of people who are also in the same depressive state as us but have not come up to voice their concerns.

We want to be heard. I don't want to feel scared to yawn or move my neck anymore.

Edit: I looked at other posts here, and the most common overlying symptom I saw was chronic fatigue/exhaustion. Not surprisingly, I have that too. Any quality and amount of sleep never seem to make me feel awake.

Maybe it's a thyroid issue?

I can't believe I finally found people to whom this also happens!! I've had it happen a few times a year for the past 3ish years. I'm currently 38 and I just had my longest episode and was terrified. For me, swallowing, talking, and moving my head is excruciatingly painful. With this longer episode, I could feel how the back of my tongue also hurt. Crying does too! Normally I can recreate the trigger position to "undo" it (laying on my right side, turning my head left, and swallowing). But this time lasted almost an hour!

From all of your information and frantic hyperfocused searches, I found that it's likely a hyoid dislocation. I was able to push my thumb up into the soft spot under my chin and slowly pull toward the painful side. Relief came fast!! I still have residual pain when swallowing, but I think it's just from how long it lasted.