Aa
Sporadic Reactions
I apologize in advance for the lengthy post!
I've been suffering from this very random problem at least since I was in elementary school (I'm 20 now). Occasionally I'll take a bite of something and suddenly my throat starts clenching up and sort of burning. The sensation is in the mid-to-lower part of my esophagus. It gradually gets worse while a HUGE excess of mucus is produced. I feel that I need to spit it all out or else my throat will be even more clogged. I think water helps but it's SO difficult to swallow any with all that phlegm buildup, and it is extremely uncomfortable when I try to. I'm afraid swallowing water or the mucus (which there is practically buckets of) will only make things worse, but at the same time, not doing so probably makes it burn more (for lack of coating/moisture I assume) and perhaps last longer. But drinking water feels so scary and like it would only add to the seeming blockage. The reaction usually passes in anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes and I've never had to go to the hospital or anything—obviously I haven't had it checked by a doctor either.
My first distinct memory of this was with a lunch meat sandwich on white bread. More recently it's happened with Barilla Plus Spaghetti, Mexican rice at Don Pablo's, Uncle Ben's Broccoli Rice au Gratin (cheesy rice), a Chinese chicken dish over white rice, and from trying to swallow two Advil at once (I shouldn't have done that but it was a desperate and impulsive move). Possible common themes are grains or dense foods, or maybe spices or MSG, but it's still incredibly sporadic. For example, the Uncle Ben's started bothering me the first time I had it and got worse until I had one of my "attacks," so to speak. The next day I forgot and tried eating some leftover rice which gave me an almost instant attack. Just now I ate these Chinese leftovers and had a reaction after a few bites, yet it had given me no trouble the first time. I was able to continue eating it while being careful; I've been sick and had congestion issues so that could have contributed in this case. The Advil was the weirdest incident, not to mention the most severe. As usual I could still breathe, but that medicine getting caught in my esophagus set things off. That was the one time I couldn't even talk through all the burning and phlegm. It was definitely the same type of reaction, but maybe the cause differed?
I'm just confused and don't know how to prevent these situations. I don't even know if it's acid reflux but it seems like that type of thing. Under normal circumstances I sometimes get a little burning in my throat but it's mostly mild. These attacks happen only occasionally (not more than twice a year), and there are no strong predictable factors that I can determine. Most of all, I feel like I'm the only one who this happens to. Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated!! Except please don't only tell me to see a doctor because I know I should. =/ But if you'd like to re-enforce that while offering other advice, be my guest. Thanks so much. :)
I've been suffering from this very random problem at least since I was in elementary school (I'm 20 now). Occasionally I'll take a bite of something and suddenly my throat starts clenching up and sort of burning. The sensation is in the mid-to-lower part of my esophagus. It gradually gets worse while a HUGE excess of mucus is produced. I feel that I need to spit it all out or else my throat will be even more clogged. I think water helps but it's SO difficult to swallow any with all that phlegm buildup, and it is extremely uncomfortable when I try to. I'm afraid swallowing water or the mucus (which there is practically buckets of) will only make things worse, but at the same time, not doing so probably makes it burn more (for lack of coating/moisture I assume) and perhaps last longer. But drinking water feels so scary and like it would only add to the seeming blockage. The reaction usually passes in anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes and I've never had to go to the hospital or anything—obviously I haven't had it checked by a doctor either.
My first distinct memory of this was with a lunch meat sandwich on white bread. More recently it's happened with Barilla Plus Spaghetti, Mexican rice at Don Pablo's, Uncle Ben's Broccoli Rice au Gratin (cheesy rice), a Chinese chicken dish over white rice, and from trying to swallow two Advil at once (I shouldn't have done that but it was a desperate and impulsive move). Possible common themes are grains or dense foods, or maybe spices or MSG, but it's still incredibly sporadic. For example, the Uncle Ben's started bothering me the first time I had it and got worse until I had one of my "attacks," so to speak. The next day I forgot and tried eating some leftover rice which gave me an almost instant attack. Just now I ate these Chinese leftovers and had a reaction after a few bites, yet it had given me no trouble the first time. I was able to continue eating it while being careful; I've been sick and had congestion issues so that could have contributed in this case. The Advil was the weirdest incident, not to mention the most severe. As usual I could still breathe, but that medicine getting caught in my esophagus set things off. That was the one time I couldn't even talk through all the burning and phlegm. It was definitely the same type of reaction, but maybe the cause differed?
I'm just confused and don't know how to prevent these situations. I don't even know if it's acid reflux but it seems like that type of thing. Under normal circumstances I sometimes get a little burning in my throat but it's mostly mild. These attacks happen only occasionally (not more than twice a year), and there are no strong predictable factors that I can determine. Most of all, I feel like I'm the only one who this happens to. Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated!! Except please don't only tell me to see a doctor because I know I should. =/ But if you'd like to re-enforce that while offering other advice, be my guest. Thanks so much. :)
Best Answer
Even though this only happens sporadically, because it's been happening over such a long time, it sounds like you have burned your esophagus repeatedly from reflux, and now your esophagus has narrowed from the damage. I think excess mucus might be your body's way of trying to coat and protect your throat? I don't know if the food is the culprit or just a coincidence, but it sounds like the over-processed foods give you a hard time. They usually don't contain much fiber and have too much salt, so it might be making too much acid in your stomach. Try balancing your PH levels by adding more fresh plain vegetables to your meals. If you look up a chart online of "alkalinizing foods", that will give you an idea of how to balance your meals, and hopefully avoid reflux. Also, you can keep aloe juice or wheatgrass powder to make juice on hand. Drinking that will also neutralize acid forming foods.
HI..I will have to suggest u see a GI dr to find out what is going on...I wonder if u may have a food allergy.Please see the Health Pages here on MedHelp for a list of foods to avoid and other modifications u can make to help calm the reflux.
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236
"selma"
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236
"selma"
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the GERD (Acid Reflux) Community
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem
