Help with "charlie horse" in throat" please

[justmekim]

I’m a 50 yr old healthy female, no meds of any kind except occasional ibuprofen, but within the last 2 years I’ve had three bouts of what I call “strangles”. It is like a Charlie horse in the front of my neck, alongside the trachea. It is like something in my throat suddenly pops, terrible pain, and it is extremely difficult to swallow or talk. I don’t have trouble breathing during these episodes. The pain is eased somewhat by holding my chin down towards my chest and tilted toward the side that hurts. The first time it happened it was about in the middle of my neck on the left side. That episode lasted for several hours, although for several weeks afterwards it felt like it could happen again at any time if I turned my head wrong (seems like yawning, stretching my neck, etc can bring it on, especially if I swallow at the same time). The next time was a couple months later, same side of my throat. The last episode happened a  week ago, higher up on my throat but on the right side, more up towards my salivary glands. I put ice on it that time and it seemed to help somewhat, although  I still have that kind of sore feeling (kind of a dull ache and a feeling that it's swelled up or that there's something there, but there doesn't seem to be any actual swelling) that it could happen again at any time. Sorry if I can't explain too well, but it really does feel like something in my throat has gotten twisted up.

I have always had lots of lumps in my neck, some doctors over the years have thought I had goiters but thyroid function tests always came out ok. I'm a smoker. I was choked until I passed out in my late teens (ex-husband) but did not get any medical treatment for it. I do not have insurance so can’t run to doctors for all kinds of tests. Any ideas as to what could be causing this, or can you at least nail down one or two tests that might give a diagnosis? I've never heard of anyone having anything like this.

[shelly1216]

I just had one and it came from stretching.  I goes from stretching to throat almost closing thinking I might not breathe to the pain radiating from shoulder to back.  I had to search if anyone had ever experienced it.  Yes, it is sporadic but always feel life threatning and it also makes my chest tight too.

[sunshinez9]

Could it be from perimenopause? I  just started getting a charley horse in throat out of the blue when yawning. But have them now after drinking hot tea so I don't know what is causing it. I read that menopause can cause muscle cramping so maybe that is it?  My ENT didn't see anything wrong with my throat and said acid reflux can cause what I described as lump in throat that disappears after it cramps it for a few seconds. I read that perimenopause also causes acid reflux so maybe it is from that. I do have a gurgling sound and burping from time to time also.

[sunshinez9]

I  have the throat spasms which feels like a throat cramp or charlie horse. I first got them after turning 49 and from yawning but now anything can set it off. I am suspecting perimenopause even though there isn't anything on it, I beleive since perimenopause messes with women's muscles that this is just an odd symptom of that. My ENT saw nothing wrong with my throat when I had it checked out but did say that he did not know what is causing the throat to cramp but that people report something similar when they have acid reflux. I still think its peri menopause since I get night flushes, bouts of depression,anxeity, heart palps around my periods or when ovulating, bad sleep and dreams so it must be related. If a woman can get electric shocks throughout the body then surely we can get charley horses in our throats.