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swollen epiglottis

Every now and then my epiglottis doenst relax like it should. I know the epiglottis works like a flap, so food and water doesnt get into the airway. It tenses up to cover the trachea and when its not working it relaxes and rest agianst the wall of the throat.
It starts with that feeling that there is something in my thoat and I need to clear it,  but I can't. I feel the need to swallow saliva every 5-10 seconds. It normally happens when I am tired due to lack of sleep and have a really dry mouth. I tonly happens late at night. Usually after midnight. I am a smoker and drink a decent amount of soft drinks, which causes my throat to be a little dryer.  I don't have any symptoms that lead me to believe this is serious such as, actual sore throat, fever, headach, or swelling anywhere else. I know any difficulty swallowing is concidered serious, but it only gets so bad, which doesn't impare my breathing, drinking, or eating. It is more annoying then anything. It is hard for me to go to sleep when it is swollen/tense. I end up staying up until I am so tired that nothing can keep me up.  I always wake up in the morning and it is back to normal. I have tired drinking thinker drinks that kind of coat my throat..like milk and thinker juices. I also take a pretty warm bath to breathe in moisture....which really helped while I was in the bath.
I'm just curious if this happens to other people and if anyone may know of any ways to soothe it?
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Avatar universal
Wow its crazy that a lot of people are having this same problem as me! I am 14 years old and today i ate shrimp (it may be irrelevant) but ater eating it I swallowed and i felt a flap in my throat whenever I swallowed. I got scared bc i saw the symptoms and pictures and the way it has to be treated. So what i did was i went ot the restroom and i felt a flap so i knew i may have had a problem because I have never felt it before. Now that day has passed andi feel like it’s going away now. When i swallow i dont really feel the flap. I hope that in the morning it will go away. And like i said i dont really feel that flapping sensation . But please tell me if this is serious. I hope this goes away but i looked up on the internet that it couldn’t. Im so dcared because this happened out of no where.I hope everybody hads gotten their thrat taken care of and i also hope mine goes away. Thanks for reading. Please reply if yu have tips I really need them.
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1 Comments
Update: After that day.. it was completely gone! I don’t know what it was but it is definitely gone now.
Avatar universal
This describes my problem exactly. I stayed up all night (I know... my fault) and this morning I had a lot of gas in my stomach and this happened to me. I took a pill for the gas and at first I thought that the pill got stuck in my throat. But I realized it wasn't because it would have dissolved by now. Also this has happened to me before but last time I was trying to clear my throat out but it just made it worse. Anyways, this helped a lot, especially the other answer on this thread. Thanks
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Avatar universal
brilliant!  this thread describes my problem perfectly ( as does the others).  I think it is sinus related due to allergies (dairy is definite)....not easy to get the sinuses cleared...but I have found Sashimi  (or sushi if you cannot stand raw anything!) with the magic ingredient WASABI...eat it and the wasabi (like a green horseradish paste available in tubes from lots of supermarkets "House Foods" wasabi brand from Tesco is the best)...really gets your sinuses flowing that antihistamines and nasal sprays just donot...they tend to dry things up rather than get them flowing.  It works for me.
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Avatar universal
Same issue as many folks,.felt like something was stuck in my throat...was more of an issue when I had gas in my stomach and had to belch..felt like flem was getting caught in the area.  just went to an Ears Nose and Throat doctor and he scoped the throat...which was a very simple quick process ( I was a bit panicky but there was no reason to be!).   He said my epiglottis was swollen and diagnosed LPR (laryngopharngeal reflux) and recommended I start taking my PPI (Prevacid) again every other day... Other recommendations on the form I was given:
1) eat smaller, more frequent meals
2) Avoid bedtime snacks...allow 4 hours between eating at night and bedtime.
3) No throat clearing and limit voice use as much as possible...Avoid yelling and excessive voice use.
4) Drink plenty of water each day, if you feel you have to clear throat, drink water instead..usually feeling will pass.
5)avoid smoking and alcoholic beverages which worsen hearburn.
6) Elevate the headboard of your bed...keep acid and stomach contents in stomach by gravity.
7) If taking antacids...take 1 hour after meal.
8) Watch weight..increased weight increases pressure in abdomin.
9) Don't excersie right after eating.
Do this for 1-2 months.

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1 Comments
Thanks this is exactly what is happening to me!
Avatar universal
Is 3:30am I feel the same, did you find a cure?
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Avatar universal
i have same with me..any help now 2016?
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Avatar universal
I've had a feeling of something in my throat, like a growth or blockage and after reading some of these letters I'm beginning to think alcohol might be the culprit. I'll go dry for a few weeks and see if it improves.
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Avatar universal
I have some what of the same problem but mines worse.. I have a very bad time trying to swallow foods or liquids, As it makes me feel like I am choking on what I've just swallowed. It started back in December.. I was eating chicken and began to choke on it. I think I may have pushed myself in trying to get it up that I might have swollen my throat in the process, Also I'm having a problem breathing through my nose so it's more likely that what ever I've it's do to with my epiglottis. It doesn't help that fact that I'm a aggressive vocalist or " Screamer". But thanks to this I'll for sure stop practicing, and trying to clear my throat so aggressively.
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Avatar universal
I have been dealing with the same issue for the last week .. Not sure if it relates to people here but Ive realized thru reasearching post as well that my EPIGLOTTIS .. Not uvula  .. Is stretched and swollen  , and the lumpy feeling in ur throat causes you to keep bringing up flem and spit . Ive taken some anti inflamitories and stopped trying to clear my throat so aggressiy , i beleive the act of drawing flem out is making my throat muscles pull and stretch my epiglottis making it worse everytime i spit ... Hot tea and being less agressive when clearing my throat has helped greatly .. Not sure if this is the cure but it has made a huge difference for me .
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Avatar universal
Most of you are describing the uvula, not the epiglottis; and this often becomes stretched from snoring. Keep your chin away from your chest when you sleep.
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8644359 tn?1401635098
I started out having this feeling like something was in my throat. I'd look and not see anything. Until yesterday. I looked and could see my epiglottis for the first time. It's very visible. I wish we could show pictures here. Anyway, I went to the ER and was told it was normal for some to be able to see their epiglottis. Well I've never seen mine before this and I've looked a lot because of the feeling something was in my throat. My fear is that it's going to get worse and end up killing me or something. But I mostly just want the damn thing to go down and the feeling to just GO! I do have GERD and/or probably something like it. I also have allergies and this does seem to be more apparent now since Spring has began. I also am doing a taper from the benzodiazepine - Klonopin. So I'm GERD, Allergies, AND anxiety. Reading these posts helps some but I'm still concerned. Trying to just relax but it's a constant feeling and I can still see it now just as well as yesterday. Perhaps in time if it's still there but hasn't changed, I'll relax a little. I just wish it would just go back to normal! It's frightening and I am afraid to go out or do anything for fear it will get worse and/or I'll have a panic attack!
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Avatar universal
Same feeling here. It started about 3weeks ago. Feel normal every morning, symptom starts after meal when eating too fast. May I ask, for those that have done scoping down your throat through your nose or mouth, is the procedure painful?
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did you find out what was wrong??? Ive noticed this over the last week and it was really starting to concern me
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Avatar universal
Forgot to mention, along with #2

6.  Gargling water (maybe try salt water also) can help sooth the problem for immediate relief.
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Avatar universal
I had this problem pretty bad and I can honestly say its all but gone now.  I made a number of different behavior changes to fix it, I'm not sure which one did but I'll list them here.  Also thank you to SweetSoulX.  Some of my remedies were from your post.

1.  I would stay up late watching TV on a lazy boy recliner tilted back.  I noticed this isn't great for your body, makes you super lazy, inhibits breathing a little.  I stopped doing this.  Watch TV / rest either sitting up, on your side, or on your stomach.

2.  Drink hot tea for immediate temporary relief.  I drank a lot of decaf tea.  Soup can be good too.

3.  Use a humidifier.  It's winter here, the air is dry, my throat is dry, a humidifier helps the air quality.

4.  Replace your home air filter.  This is supposed to be done every 3 months or so.  Mine was past due.  This is another thing that will help the air quality.  (Your car has an air filter also that should be pretty easy to change.)

5.  Get good sleep.  Linked with the staying up late my sleep habits were ****.  Try to get regular sleep.

After doing all the above that lump in my throat is gone.  Not five days ago I was googling "epiglottis feels like it's choking me" which led me to here.
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Avatar universal
I am a self healer. Been healing myself for over forty years. Lost faith in orthodox medicine years ago. Came into the 'field' of self healing with the best of them, Linus Pauiing-Vitamin C, Adelle Davis Let's Get Well, Norman Cousins The Anatomy of an illness and the healingHeart.
I am at the moment recovering from a severe bout with strep throw-my own diagnose-and a really horrid eppiiglotis attack. EEEEKKK.
My approach: Vitamin A,, 10,000 Iu, Vitamin E, 1000 IU, Calcium/magnesium and zinc, Vitamin C-at least one hundred grams-wheat germ and Brewer's Yeast, the complete B complex.
The way it works, for me, I make a rich vegetable broth-actually I cheat and use V8 juice, add about a tablespoon of Brewer's Yeast and tbsp of Wheat Germ. With it I take the vitamins.
I can also make a juice, orange, banana, papaya plus honey Brewer'sYeast and Wheat Germ.
During 'flareups' I drink the fruit juice first thing in the morning. Soup for dinner. I stick to a liquid diet for the first few days. Try to live a 'normal' life. I keep a bottle of water and Vitamins A, B, and cal/mag/zinc by my bed at night.
Before bed sometime, I boil water and inhale the steam.
Often the results are immediate. But I'm always careful, relapses are dangerous.
Everything I take is natural. No drugs, surgeries or doctor's visit. I'm 83. It's worked for me for years. What I say is I'm 83 years young, suffer from glowing gd health, no chronic aches, pains of ailements, take no drugs
You can visit me in your search...look for Bettejo Dux, or just plain Bettejo. I live on Kauai-we are exposed to the nastiest GM tair borne oxins-I am a writer. You can find my web site is Bettejo Dux. I have  column. I', also at www.dakinetalk.blogspot.
I'm not selling anything, altho you might like to check out my novel The Scam. I know where you are all coming from. Empathize.
You can leave a message at my column---Bettejo--you call t a blog. Best of  
luck.
Bettejo Dux

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Avatar universal
This may be Tonsil stones you are feeling, look it up it causes complications with breathing, your breath, eating etc. look it up on google many people suffer from this cottage cheese looking ball sticking to the throat which makes it feel like food or other debrea is stuck. Ive suffered with many cases of Tonsilitis and this is what I discovered in my mouth a couple months ago, Also one tonsil is larger than the other and my epiglottis is swollen.
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Avatar universal
i've been dealing with this same issue for a year. i had found out i had hpylori and had a round of antibiotics. i was still having symptoms, so i went on another round. long story short and after countless hours of research and studying the anatomy of the throat, i discovered i found the problem! i have a candida overgrowth in my throat and esophagus. went back to ent and he said yes thats why your linqual tonsils are swollen. the yeast lives in them. i had also had every test possible, even the barium swollowing test. i cut out all sugars, starches and carbs. feeling a little better. hope this helps.
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Avatar universal
Yes I have had this Since Nov 2012. Woke up with the feeling of something in my throat.. My ear kind of hurt as well. Went to the ER two times and Two different ER's all kinds of blood work was done and all normal. Went to ENT and had a scope done he said all was normal. I asked for a cat scan, witch was done a week later. ENT called and said something was there that need close look and wanted to do an Laryngoscopy to look closer and a Biopsy. Was done in Dec 2012. All was normal.. Thank goodness. Still have feelings in throat. Gave me Prilosec, but I don't take it as I should because I do not like taking pills... I returned to ENT in July 2013 for a follow up and again he say something in my throat behind my Lingual Tonsil. He did a Biopsy in his office this time. All came back normal. My Lingual Tonsil is lg and sideways I notice that my Epiglottis hits or rubs on this Tonsil. I think this is what's causing this feeling of something in my throat. I don't know what suddenly started causing My Epiglottis to start appearing in my throat other then acid reflex that I don't feel like I have but I guess I do.. I am a very small 110 lb 52 year old female. All this stressed my out so bad that I lost 20 Pounds and got to a very skinny 90 pounds which I am still trying to gain back.. I just thank God all has came back normal and there isn't any sign of Cancer.. I can live with this as long as I know I am ok..
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Avatar universal
I have the same thing, about every month now for about 2 weeks it feels like somethings in my throat and i can see it with a flashlight. Everytime it starts up again my tongue goes slightly numb/ tingly and i get post nasal drip. Don't know why. Ent's say its normal, er says its normal. I asked my usual doc and she says its my larynx swollen and pushing everything upwards. Not sure, but its the only answer Ive gotten. I'm also wondering if its easier to see because I have an extra large mouth. Lol. Its def not always there though, just wondering if everyones swells from time to time due to allergies or gerd ( which i have both) and I (or we) can just see it more clearly. Because doctors tend not to think its very serious.
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Avatar universal
Thanks to everyone for sharing ... I too had the feeling that I had a 'lump' in the back of my throat ... I went to an ENT and he scoped my throat - through my nose, etc. and said I have signs of acid reflux and I was told to take Prilosec ... well it wasn't until a few days to a week LATER that I felt something additionally different in my throat and when I looked back there saw, for the first time ever, my epiglottis!! It looks like a mini tongue, behind my regular tongue.  I think it is being pushed up from the swelling and inflamation from the acid reflux.  I also wonder if it was irritated from having the scope procedure done too...  I am trying dramatic lifestyle changes and the acid reflux diet - I don't want to go the Prilosec route yet - I also prefer a more 'natural' approach and I read that Prilosec and the rest of those meds can really mess up a person's digestive system over time ...

I want to give this a little more time to see if it will improve but I may have to seek further medical attention if it does not ... I also ordered some 'natural approach' books on acid reflux and will study those as soon as I get them ... good luck to everyone dealing with this ...  
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5437330 tn?1367954391
Hi Sweetstuff,

I came across this forum in search of answers to a problem I'm having.  It started about 6 weeks ago...been having dental work done removing amalgam and ended up with three root canals and crowns, one of which I had to get done twice and another, had an infection and needed antibiotics !! And I know I swallowed something ( like you do) anyway, It feels as if I have something stuck in my throat and since then my throat and esophagus feels raw!

2 weeks ago I ate some toast and it felt like it was stuck like right under my breast bone!! Awful feeling. Also i have a tight feeling between my upper part of shoulder blade ( feel is like tension) my research ( as you do) I know that's contradictory to what doc say- acid reflux is not an over amount of stomach acid, but low stomach acid. I have been swallowing a lot, seems like I had more mucus going on.. ( My 3yr and 1yr old were sick too and they love to share sneezes.. In my face lol

)So I went to the health store on Friday & found that taking HCL and probiotics and ginger/ honey tea. Aloe Vera juice- no bread products and by Sunday that lump feeling by my breast bone had gone !!

But cause of family history with thyroid problems,  I went to see an ENT yesterday, had the nasal scope done. I only had a little mucus sitting on my epiglottis ( the thing that opens and closes when you swallow) there. He prescribed me Omerarople ( antacid) which I haven't taken yet. I also made him schedule an ultrasound on my throat- waiting on results.

I am the kind of person to want to do natural remedies first... Just picked up a Manuuka honey to help with the raw feeling ( my mom swore by this). I still have that raw feeling in the throat and chest.

I am just concerned as to if I should take antacids ( they can cause more issues down the line and only mask the real problem)...I have a follow up in 4wks. I have been a little stressed of late ( my hubby will be starting a masters in the fall.. In Madison Wisconsin... And all the stress of moving I have been doing relaxation stretches which helps. I am thinking of going to see chiropractor....but with no insurance the bills are creeping up..that is stressing me too.

I loved what you had to say and will start gargling too. But if anyone on here has any other information or has had the same symptoms as me I would love their feedback.
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Avatar universal
I don't know what's wrong with my throat. I feel as if it is just producing more mucus for me to hack up.  I cant stop spitting and it feels swore and swollen when I talk. Like something is in the way. And it makes me wanna hack up again. Anyone know what it might be ? :(
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329165 tn?1515471990
Hi there,

I hope this posts finds you...

I have had a horrible time with my throat and other health issues and I have also had Doctors telling me it is in my head or even Bulimmia!  but eventually I went to see an Otolarancologist that diagnosed:  Chricopharengeal muscle dysfunction and I had a treatment (dilatation and botillium injection) and my symptoms disappeared for 2 months!!!!  and now that the injection is no longer working, I have all the old symptoms again!  swollen epiglottis, sore throat, voice issues, chest pains when I swallow food, muscles in my neck/throat going into what feels like spasms and glands that get swollen and that permanent lump in the throat!

All due to the Chricopharengeal muscle that does not work properly.

Maybe that is you answer?  I don't have the solution yet as the Botillium only works for 2 months and then you have to get it done again...

All the best and hope to hear from you.
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