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Choking Feeling - Tightness in Neck

After reading a few threads, this is something I've been suffering with since Oct 2001 and no doctor has been able to give me an answer.  This is the cliff notes version.

I've seen THREE endocrinologists (going on 4), an Immunologist, ENT (who pointed towards the thyroid more than once), Allergist, a dentist specializing in TMJ and even a chiropractor which felt like it was irritating my neck with adjustments.

It started with a choking feeling in my neck. I came home from work ripping off my turtle neck and having dry choking heaves. After that I couldn't wear anything around my neck including necklaces, turtlenecks, or my hair touching it.

About two months later, I was diagnosed with mono and was in bed from Jan 2002 to March 2002. During this time I gained 50lbs in those months going from 140 to 190lbs.

I saw an endocrinologist in April in Rochester NY who said I had "Fibromyalgia of the thyroid" and that there was nothing wrong with me.

I went to another endo. in Buffalo NY. She looked at my blood work and said "There is nothing wrong with you."  
I said: Why do I have this feeling in my neck?  
She said: Don't know.
-- and  sent me on my way

I had an ultrasound in 2002 that showed some nodules on the thyroid. No doctor addressed it.

I continued to have this feeling in my neck.  My shirts are all pulled out, I wear V necks, I put my hair up, I can't wear necklaces and I also cannot touch the front of my neck. It's hard to find a comfortable spot when sleeping because pressure below my jaw radiates.  I can't wear a scarf or a winter coat with a high collar because it rubs on the sides of my neck.

I began to live with this as annoying as it was.

Last year, I went to another endocrinologist regarding some other problem and stressed that I had this issue since Oct 2001.  She did another thyroid test and found my leves were off. Gave me synthroid.

She did an ultrasound and took a biopsy of the nodules. No cancer. Thyroid was a little enlarged.
I was told to live with the feeling in my neck.

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!!!!  Right now the neck is too tight, I have keep taking Advil which is not good to relieve this tightness. I feel like no doctor cares to help and that I'm the only person in the area with this problem.
It all started around the time I was experiencing symptoms of mono before I was diagnosed.

I see another endo in November. What else can I ask for to see if this problem can be solved (aside from having the thyroid removed).  I'm at my wit's end!

Thank you for any help!
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Avatar universal
I got the same feeling (someone is choking me) and I just realized is muscle tightness in the anterior part of the neck, to be more specific, the thyroid muscles.
I'm a alternative medicine therapist and orthopedic massage therapist, muscle pain expert for almost 25 yrs of experience.
Doctors will never figure this out because is a muscle tightness.
I'm treating the problem as a muscle and is getting some much better.
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
How are you treating the tightness on neck as a muscle.  What are you doing to make it feel better?
Thank you SO much, Teretouch! This came on this weekend for me and I was starting to get worried when I found tons of references online, but no diagnoses. After finding your comment (and one from someone who claimed IcyHot helped her symptoms), I realized my neck muscles *did* feel abnormally tight - but not in that pinched-neck or limited-mobility way I'd normally associate with a muscle spasm. I systematically applied manual pressure to each tight spot I could find, up and down both sides of my neck and all along my collarbones, and got *instant* relief for about 80% of my symptoms. Continued massaging periodically the rest of the evening and by morning, the "invisible hands wrapped around my neck" feeling had passed (and my neck muscles do seem a lot less rigid today).

My history: I've had hypothyroid off and on (At most recent physical, was testing OK for TSH. Personally, suspect Hashimotos, but haven't been able to get Dr. to order antibody test). Also have GERD/acid reflux, which I found many references to in association with this online, and I take Wellbutrin for anxiety - for which I found a few people complain about this both coming on and going off the medication. If it's muscular, wonder if it's possible any/all of the above could trigger this type of spasm (hence the vague association with various ailments)? Common thread - no one's Dr.s can seem to explain it, even with misc. tests, either finding nothing or suggesting it's psychosomatic.
Avatar universal
im having same tightness in neck and upper jaw under neigh (feels like someone is squeezing my neck...which is sending weird brain sensations every millisecond..i cant handle this..no doctor seems to help im DESPERATE...ive had pancreas and endo issues..and THIS is worse...cause it effects neck and brain function and ur entire life. mine began after a prego illness they never figured out. my email is kayjohnson.***@****
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UPDATE:   In november 2014 I found out what I had for 13 years! It started with me having mono in Oct 2001.  

I went to a new ENT in November 2014 after I had a massage therapist tell me that my neck felt "weird" and there felt like there was a lump or growth on it under my chin.  

I went to him with all my tests and history and he knew exactly what I had just based on my symptoms. The first one in 13 years and I was seeing another ENT during this time who scoped my nose into my throat.  

He told me I had Lingual tonsillitis which was so inflamed that it was pushing out my hyoid bone.  The hyoid bone is very sensitive which is why I felt anything touching my neck would send me through the roof.  The choking feeling was partially from the tonsils being really inflamed and the hyoid bone protruding.

I had three weeks of antibiotics (augmentin), high doses of prednisone and prilosec as he saw some acid reflux.  After the medicine, the feeling in my neck went away. I cannot figure out why my initial ENT didn't see this - and he had the history of my symptoms since day 1.  
Avatar universal
This response is to Catd25863:

I have been battling hypothyroidism for about a decade.

In late 2019, I started taking Vitamin D supplements. Right after I started taking the supplements, I, too, felt pain in my neck and thyroid.

Previously, I had taken Vitamin D, and my thyroid levels had gone down, and I had felt more hypothyroid. So, in late 2019, I came to the conclusion that the Vitamin D was, once again, making me more hypothyroid and that the neck and thyroid pains were part of being more hypothyroid.

I stopped taking Vitamin D, and the neck and thyroid pains subsided to a huge extent. However, these pains did not go away completely. So, my primary doctor ordered a barium x-ray of the esophagus.

The x-ray showed that I had an esophageal web (a deformity on the esophagus) and acid reflux. The deformity and the reflux are still with me.

So, your neck and thyroid pains may be a result of hypothyroidism. Or they may be a result of a deformity on your esophagus.

Please have a thyroid ultrasound AND a barium x-ray of your esophagus.

Good luck!



Helpful - 0
20903770 tn?1606114878
I don't have a answer, but I do suffer with this exact problem. My whole life. I've received the same response.
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I also have the redness on my chest, that looks like a sunburn
Avatar universal
Its been years since this had been used but I am having the same problems. I am 17 years old and I had a foregut duplication cyst on my lung which was removed. Because of covid my surgery was delayed as non emergent and while waiting for the surgery I started getting this choking sensation in my neck. It’s so extreme. It turned into a sensitivity to seemingly everything. I feel like I choke on my words sometimes, I can barely turn my head to either side and if I do I only can for about 10 seconds before forcefully gagging. My doctors said my thyroid was normal. I just had an endoscopy which found nothing. I can’t wear shirts, my boyfriend can’t touch even to the top of my shoulders. I’m going to go to a pain clinic and to a numerologist to see if it’s related to muscles or nerves. The only thing that’s helped was a slight muscle relaxer that I was only on for a week. Because I’m underage I can’t get prescribed anything really. I’ve been on a proton pump inhibitor for 2 months now which seems to be causing new chest symptoms. I don’t know what to do. I’ve been told it’s anxiety, that im crazy. They have barely ran any blood tests on my and won’t even ultrasound my thyroid. I don’t know what to do next because it’s staring to feel like I’ll never be able to work a job or finish school. I can barely find relief no matter what I do. I really need help. It’s starting to feel like my life is kind of over before it’s even really begun. No doctors seem to care. If anyone knows anything please help.  
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2 Comments
You're right - this thread is extremely old and I had to scroll all through it to find your post... I almost didn't...  :-)

I know you said your doctor told you your thyroid is "normal", but have they done any thyroid related tests, as in, blood tests?  If so, please post the names of the tests, the results and their corresponding reference ranges so we can see what your actual thyroid hormone levels look like.  

A good doctor can, often, feel whether or not the thyroid is swollen, though not always.  They can also, often feel nodules, but again, not always.  It's important to do an ultrasound to see what your thyroid looks like... You can be pretty confident that if your thyroid were swollen large enough to cause such a severe choking feeling, your doctor "should" be able to feel it or they'd have had a problem when they did your endoscopy.  

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with a "numerologist"... do you mean "neurologist", which is a doctor that takes care of neurological/nerve issues?

The proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are for acid reflux/GERD - do you have that?  It feels like heartburn (acid) that's coming up in your throat.  That can cause the choking feeling, as can anxiety, which is a problem for a lot of people.  I'm sure it's not that doctors don't care - if they can't find anything physical/medical, they have no choice but to think it's anxiety.  Sometimes it takes a long time to get a proper diagnosis when there's something that can't be seen easily.  Most of us have had that experience at one time or another.  
I'm the OP and it wasn't my thyroid.   In November 2014 I found out what I had for 13 years! It started with me having mono in Oct 2001.  

I went to a new ENT in November 2014 after I had a massage therapist tell me that my neck felt "weird" and there felt like there was a lump or growth on it under my chin.  

I went to him with all my tests and history and he knew exactly what I had just based on my symptoms. The first one in 13 years and I was seeing another ENT during this time who scoped my nose into my throat.  

He told me I had Lingual tonsillitis which was so inflamed that it was pushing out my hyoid bone.  The hyoid bone is very sensitive which is why I felt anything touching my neck would send me through the roof.  The choking feeling was partially from the tonsils being really inflamed and the hyoid bone protruding.

I had three weeks of antibiotics (Augmentin), high doses of prednisone and Prilosec as he saw some acid reflux.  After the medicine, the feeling in my neck went away. I cannot figure out why my initial ENT didn't see this - and he had the history of my symptoms since day 1.  
Avatar universal
It is a cold n your shoulders n or pinch nerve....lastly tmj.....A cold can be anywhere n your body n when it gets n the shoulders or neck... Is the worst pain ever. The only thing you can do for this is heat..... Would Motrin or some type of pain muscle relaxer. With a pinched nerve you can try to get some relief by stretching..... TMJ can cause all the symptoms mentioned above including sore throat but you actually don't have a sore throat. Change your pillow or don't sleep with pillow at all and see in endodontist
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Avatar universal
If you will describe the problem a bit more for us and also tell us about any other symptoms you have, we will be very happy to try and help.  
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Avatar universal
I took a Claritin D a few hours ago and my neck isn't hurting. I really do believe it's some sort of allergy we are having to our thyroid med fillers, because it's that pill that would go direct to the gland.
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Avatar universal
I was having the same thing for a couple years. I had my labs done...normal. I had ultrasound done...normal. I asked my doctor to switch me to Armour. It worked. Ok, a couple years down the line....It's happening again. I'm wondering if it's an allergic reaction to the fillers in the meds. I'm wondering if now that Synthroid is out of my system if I could try going back to that and seeing if it would disappear.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a sudden onset of bizarre seemingly unrelated symptoms. Left arm numbness/tingling, severe throat choking sensation, LPR symptoms, back/muscle pain, fatigue etc.

The doctors said it couldn't be my thyroid but it seems it is just that. My throat choking is spontaneously disappearing with NDT. I spend thousands out of pocket for endoscopy and other tests because they said it could not be my thyroid without a goiter. The lymph on my left throat swells so much it pushes my trachea over slightly. They thought I might have cancer. I've just started NDT (2 months or so now) and the swelling is better.

Seems they were wrong this couldn't be thyroid. I can't explain it either like my one arm problem, it seems impossible but obviously it isn't.

I hope these posts help others some day.

Take care, Kel
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I am 14 and I have this problem right now. I dont know what to do!!
Avatar universal
Glad i'm not alone, the symptom is so bizzare and feels so unique. I too am unable to tolerate any clothing touching my neck. It all started around 15 years ago, was at uni at the time, so under some stress, all of a sudden one day felt a tingling sensation within my throat, it escalated into some form of spasmic attack in my neck, it became very sensitive, the sensation manifests itself from below neck to ear level. Like some sort of hypersenistive gag reflex but constant. only thing which helps me control it is having something in my mouth at all times (including night) i use an almond (less damaging than sweets). Had been diagnosed with panic disorder with globus. the second the almond is removed from my mouth the choking spasmic attack initiates. Had tried CBT which involved taking almond out my mouth and letting whatever happens, happen, but I just could not cope with the intesity of what was happening so am just living with this problem, its overtaken my life as it affects me constantly, still looking for answers even after all this time. So if anybody can relate to my symptom any advice would be appreciated, likewise if i find a solution will post.
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1 Comments
Here lies a tremendous coincidence between our symptoms. Holding/biting something in my mouth also releases the choking sensation in my throat. I'm male, 37, and have been struggling with this choking sensation since my mid 20's. It led to a fruitless thyroid screening and biopsy of a benign lump at age 27 (the tech doing the biopsy almost canceled the biopsy since they couldn't find the reported lump on the repeat ultrasound). I suspect there is some sort of 'orthodontic' (for lack of a better word) connection. I also don't subconsciously swallow a couple of times a minute as most people. I've begun work with 4 different orthodontists using different techniques, but none of them convinced me that they had that sufficient control of what they were doing. I'm still not even sure that's the problem.

Whether the cause of all this is primarily endocrine or orthodontic I wish I knew!
Avatar universal
i have the exact symptoms, I visited my GP last week and without doing an examination or any tests, he just told me I was menopausal and should pay a visit to my Gynae.
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Avatar universal
i dont think she was missing the symptom she was trying to help, that is what you wanted were ideas. I hope that you found or find an answer. anytime anything touches my throat i feel as if i'm choking, but i was also born with reflux, i also have what looks to be a goiter and a buffalo hump. I am only 24 and have had these issues for quite a few years now. so i understand the frustration of the dr. not paying attention thinking that it is something small.  
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Avatar universal
Will do and thank you. I'm just waiting for an apt to be scheduled.  
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2 Comments
I really wanna know if you finally found what was wrong because I have a lot of similar issues and sometimes I feel like I'm gonna have an anyrism.I think it's either nerve damage or Tarlov cysts on my spine filling with spinal fluid and pressing on my nerves and my skull and I don't wanna go through all the crazy tests just for them to tell me nothing is wrong when my pain level is at a10 most of the time..Please tell me you have found your miracle Dr or you are closer to the solution.
In november 2014 I found out what I had for 13 years! It started with me having mono in Oct 2001.  

I went to a new ENT in November 2014 after I had a massage therapist tell me that my neck felt "weird" and there felt like there was a lump or growth on it under my chin.  

I went to him with all my tests and history and he knew exactly what I had just based on my symptoms. The first one in 13 years and I was seeing another ENT during this time who scoped my nose into my throat.  

He told me I had Lingual tonsillitis which was so inflamed that it was pushing out my hyoid bone.  The hyoid bone is very sensitive which is why I felt anything touching my neck would send me through the roof.  The choking feeling was partially from the tonsils being really inflamed and the hyoid bone protruding.

I had three weeks of antibiotics (augmentin), high doses of prednisone and prilosec as he saw some acid reflux.  After the medicine, the feeling in my neck went away. I cannot figure out why my initial ENT didn't see this - and he had the history of my symptoms since day 1.  
Avatar universal
TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many things that at beset it is only an indicator, to be considered along with more importnat indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4.  The main value for TSH is to distinguish between primary hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis), and central hypothyroidism (hypothalamus/pituitary related).  I'd say that you have central hypothyroidism.  I say that based on your symptoms, and your minimal test result for Total T4 that is below the range.  

A Total T4 or T3 test represents the total amount of those in your blood.  Only a small portion of that total is free of protein molecules, thus called Free.  Only the small, Free portion, is biologically active.  So you should make sure they always test you for both Free T3 and Free T4 each time you go in for tests.  If the doctor resists, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer.  And I suggest that you should go in right away and get those done.  While you are there it would also be a good idea to test for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin.  Hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for those as well.  

When you have new test results, please get a copy of the lab report and post results, along with reference ranges.  If your Free T4 and Free T3 are in the lower half of their ranges, that frequently results in hypo symptoms.  That is because the ranges are far too broad to be functional for many people.  

Keep in mind that a good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important for you, not just test results.  When you see your doctor it would be a good idea to find out if he is going to be willing to treat clinically as described.  If not, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.
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Avatar universal
im not much for going to doctors, no do I take a lot of meds, pain meds. And I never use narcs. I have one prescript and that is the BP meds my doctor put me on about a month ago.
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Avatar universal
I can remember the TSH was 0.5-5.0 and mine was 1.7. I only remember the low range for the T4 and that was 95-??? And mine was 94. 1 point below normal.
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Avatar universal
Please post your T4 result, along with reference range shown on the lab report.  
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Avatar universal
My first visit to an endo, was after I complained to my doctor that it felt as if something was in my neck or throat. She had Al ultrasound done and found a solitary mixed nodual 9mm. On the right side. And thyroid was slightly enlarged.  I was sent to and endo whom was just opening up his practice. He told me there was no way it would cause this feeling and told me I had angxiety and sent me to an ENT. The ENT confirmed I was not suffering from angxiety or crazy and there were two lumps in my throat from acid reflux. And tried to do a fine needle biopsy of the nodule in my thyroid because there is a history of thyroid cancer in my family. Test results came back inconclusive and the ENT decided not to do another biopsy because of the difficulty getting to it. Said they would keep an eye on it. Almost 2 years later the nodule has grown to 1cm and odd shaped. It's not round anymore. I have not been told if the thyroid itself has gotten any larger, I think they just look at the nodule. And now my regular doctor has been running a lot of tests to find an answer to a new set of symptoms I have been having for the last few months. My BP has elevated. I have put on weight. I am tiered all the time. I have upper body pain and aches, arms, neck, shoulders, sometimes my chest. Headaches almost everyday. I feel stupid, I am forgetting things. I know I'm become depressed but don't really talk to much about that with my doctor. My feet hurt every dang day and have even resorted to puttiing supports in my shoes, I feel some Preasure on the right side of my lower neck, my cholesterol has become high, PACs and PVCs, I can't stand things around my neck anymore, I even cut my hair short, I get chest and facial flushing like I'm sun burnt, I feel weak I guess you would say, cuz I now actually have to hand a jar off to my husband to open it. My blood work, seems to not show much. Sed rates a little high. T4 low by I point. TSH within normal rang was 1.7, I thought the tsh should have been a bit higher being my t4 was low.  cholesteral about 10 points above high. About a 30p weight gain. I'm growing man hairs on my lower belly, lip, chin, and neck, I pluck them out but they come back. Laying on my back at night is tough because I can not stand the feeling of my chin on my neck. I have been tested for autoimmune= neg. mono=neg, hiv=neg, rumitoid= normal, carcinoid= random pee test neg. no 24 h pee test has been done. Lyme dis= neg, gallbladder= normal, TB= neg, now it's onto an Endo again. I also did have a non cancerous golfball size tumor and lymphnod that was killed off by the tumor. Removed from my right underarm earlier this year.
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Avatar universal
My problem was diagnosed this past week.

I have lingual tonsillitis which is causing the 'choking feeling'
I also have Hyoid Bone Syndrome - this bone can cause pain from the neck into the face shoulders etc. The bone is being pushed forward and irritated by the tonsils.

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Avatar universal
Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges and let us comment on how "normal" they are.
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Avatar universal
I get a choking sensation as well. I have nontoxic multinodular goiter. I am a 50 year old female 1 1/2 years post hysterectomy. Since surgery my weight has exploded. I am 5'6 206lbs. I am thinking weight gain might be the issue here. I cannot wear necklaces, turtlenecks etc... I have gone up at least 5 bra sizes since surgery and I feel much better without a bra on. I do not get the choking sensation without the bra. My bra straps leave indentation marks on my shoulders so it feels better with the bra off. I am thinking to discuss weight loss programs with my doctor. Since all tests and blood work have come back normal I am thinking more weight issue which is complicating my neck & back disc problems? Can anyone relate?
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Avatar universal
I've been dealing with this issue for a year.  Seen all the other type of docs mentioned by everyone (multiple times).  Ultrasound showed enlarged thyroid lobes but ENT dismissed them as too small to be causing my problems.  I too have driven myself to the ER one time with the choking feeling.  Was dismissed with panic attack!

I am seeing a rheumy for the first time next week.  I'm also seeking an endo for the first time in about 2 weeks.  My thyroid tests so far put me in low normal range.

I've had low positive tests for an auto immune disease.

I've had two other strange feelings.

The feeling in my throat changes with physical movement.  Going on a roller coaster, going up a steep road like in the mountains, laying my head back on a massage table, going down an elevator, I literally could feel this sensation change during these activities.  I describe it as feeling like an air bubble moving around and that it could choke me.

Also, when I had the ultrasound of my neck/thyroid, I could literally feel waves/shocks in my neck.  A few times my right cheek twitch.  All the docs look at me like I'm crazy when I've said that.
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Avatar universal
I have been dealing with a strangling sensation at the base of my neck above the collar bone for 15 years now.  It also radiates up the sides of my neck to my jaw and ears.  I also start yawning every 1-2 minutes the whole time I have the sensation.  I can tell you it is the first symptom I had that led to me being diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  I had 5 nodules and an enlarged goiter cutting off my esophagus by 50%.  I had to have my thyroid completely cut out in 1999.  To this day, I still have the strangling sensation that started it all.  It is intermittent but can last for several days at a time.  I have been to all of the doctors mentioned (ENT, Endocrinologist, Cardiologist, Chiropractor, etc.), been on Synthroid for 15 years, been treated for potential causes (gerd, acid reflux, neck problems, etc.), and have had numerous tests (blood pressure, complete blood panel, parathyroid level, calcium levels, EGD scope down my throat, etc.) but nothing has helped.  This sensation gets so bad that at times it feels life-threatening and I have driven myself to the Emergency room twice but it was not diagnosed.  I can deal with a lot of pain but this pressure in my neck is so discomforting and annoying, I can't stand it!  I've pretty much given up hope that it will ever be diagnosed or treated succesfully, but I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem.  At least I'm not crazy!
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