Interesting post. It would be good to hear how the OP is doing now that some years have past. The lack of follow-ups is frustrating since we can't learn from others whether they got better.
I am a 34 year old male in otherwise good health. I am currently suffering with a non-productive throat clearing condition, which I believe may be psychosomatic. This started about a month ago, and typically follows a daily pattern of being at its worst an hour after rising/breakfast. Strange thing is I had the very same problem between June 2001 and early 2004. I even had a septoplasty because the ENT thought that it might be caused by a deviated septum. I have a good memory for these things and I remember back in 2001 it started following a longish cycle ride, where potentially I might have inhaled some allergens/pollutants/dust. Shame I can't remember much about how it resolved. Coincidentally (or not), it also started this time round following another long cycle ride. This would put pay to the reflux theory, though it could be that the cycle ride was the inciting event that caused the irritation to my throat and the reflux (which might have always existed) is maintaining the irritation so that the mucus membrane responds more vigorously by producing more mucus, and perpetuating the throat clearing.
I definitely believe in psychosomatic symptoms. I have had a few over the last few years. Last year it was globus sensation, a few years back a need to **** frequently, and some strange dizziness -- all disappearing in the end, and all attributed to some underlying anxiety. I think part of the problem may well be my need to find out the answer to it, and I can't help think that - if it is psychosomatic - then even googling around is perhaps perpetuating the condition. I wish I could accept that a definitive answer is probably not out there and that by letting go it will likely disappear, as most conditions such as this do, eventually. My fear is that it will last for years again and that I will become miserable about it; at it's worst I find it difficult to talk because I have this gravel on my throat and have to clear/cough/drink water.
Also, the OP mentioned a lump on the tongue. Not sure if it's the same as the OP's but I'll mention it anyway. I have recurring small mucoceles that appear on the underside of my tongue. Right along the midline "pipe". They never get too big and disappear if I leave them alone. Most of the time only one comes back, and can be absent for up to a month. But one always seem to recur. After a few days they go white from rubbing on my lower teeth. I've learnt it's best to leave them alone rather than pop them. Generally they appear when I'm really hungry, like if I take a late lunch; this makes sense for the following reason (IMHO): when the salivary glands are on overdrive, the pipe gets overloaded with saliva and a "water balloon" is formed.
that was a pretty good follow-up and story about throat clearing/mucous/anxiety. That sounds like an unfortunate run around in the medical community. Remember, doctors are technicians, and they rely on researchers to make a diagnosis. There is more to learn, certainly. "its in your head" means "we don't understand the brain yet", pretty much. Dave
WELCOME BACK!!!!!
It would be super if you could stop by and meet/greet members!!!
This is awesome that you are able to stop back after a year.
C~
HI .. so glad you've found a solution for your reflux problems and sharing with us. Sometimes it's physical, I do agree .. But for some, though, it's triggered by allergies or anatomical issues .. sometimes, even conditions are there causing reflux from birth and can cause asthma, too by micro-aspiration.
C~
It's been a while and I just answered a direct message to someone which I'd like to share with everyone:
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I'm going on year 3 now with this problem and I've learned to deal with it ... Highly experienced ORLs and plenty of other specialists concluded this to a reaction to stress/anxiety.
It is common that some reflux issues are amplified by stress as well as mucus thickening or sensitiveness to it caused but the tightening of the throat but ultimately, what I have was compared to a stuttering problem! I was actually offered a referral to follow the same treatment people that stutter go through (speech therapy). I thought that was weird at first but I can see the logic now.
For me, the compelling proof that this is mind related is that it stops when I am in very calm environments (like on vacation or in a movie theater). This all started with a wicked sinus infection and I guess we can say it just developed into a stress habit over time.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the recent events involving a few American high school students who all developed some sort of turrets syndrome? I was watching this on Anderson Cooper the other day and on the show, one doctor had a theory that the propagation of this syndrome could be caused by the fear of having it ? This, in some way, made me realize that the mind/brain is a controller that can very well have our body react in the way it wants to.
My point is, for the longest time, I just would NOT believe this wasn't a physical bug or some kind of infection when in reality, it isn’t. Its habit and unfortunately, it's not something that can be fixed with a pill.
Accepting it helps me control it. Mornings are worse a mucus drains more dramatically then. Milk and other thick products are not helpful as they thicken mucus. When it’s bad, I just stop what i am doing, take a pause (lying down helps) and realize that I am indeed either stressed or anxious about something.
So there you have it! I hope this has been some help to you.
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Perhaps others have experiences, tips or tricks to add ?
Danny
Mild sensitivities can cause the post nasal drip. I often get more mucus when I eat something that I don't test positive for true allergy but still have sensitivity to. You may have a little bit of congestion. Guifenisen, which is what Mucinex is could help. You should get the extended release form. Otherwise the standard one works great for an hour or two and you're right back to the same thing.
I have had post nasal drip my entire life. I don't have any allergies. I tried stopping dairy, but it does not help that much. I even have this when I lay down. I use Triaminic for Chest Congestion to help this. I don't actually have chest congestion but it helps this problem. If I don't use it, I wake up coughing because the secretions go down the "wrong track." I don't think there is is cure. Most meds have side effects that are worse than the problem. Drying up the drip can be done by taking Claritin too. But I don't want to take that forever. So I am stuck with this. Leah
the drainage ? mmm, that's contradictory to all the ORL advise i've gotten over the past year! Every one of them claim the drainage to be nothing but good ?
Anyhoot, I've gone ahead and created my own sympton specific website in order to try and focus on this common and unresolved problem.
Please visit (and join) our community to help fight chronic throat clearing !
http://www.chronicthroatclearing.com
Danny
also just a constant sinus drainage could cause that.sue
have you herd of black harry tounge.look it up it can be caused from dry mouth.it can cause white and black patches on tounge.look under differnt types of thrush.also have you herd of sjogrenes syndrome.it can cause not enouph saliva .it can cause clearing in throat and dry sore tounge.i just wanted you to be aware of those things. you started having these problems after a round of sinusitus.has any one checked your sinuses for yeast.it could cause a dry mouth and constant clearing of the throat.you could have got it after several rounds of antibiotics. also did you know your tast buds on your tounge could be sore and cause you to have tounge spasms.like a charly horse. yep look it up .it could happen to any one.when you feel the bump stretch your tounge out of your mouth. i dont know if it will help but its worth a try.your tast buds are probly sore and swelling up and going back down.let me know if you have herd of any of this sue