Throat Clicks

I have Hashimoto's ... and I am wondering if anyone has experienced a clicking in the throat while swallowing? This happens quite often, and I am wondering if this could be something related to my thyroid.

Tammy

[daisy924]

Funny that you ask that...I just googled this very same question a few minutes ago.  I am still waiting for an official diagnosis of Hashimoto's but I have a goiter and positive TPO antibodies so I assume that's what I have.  I have that same clicking feeling when I swallow.  Not sure if it's because of the goiter or not.  Do you have a goiter as well?  Would love to hear if others have this.

[megsmom007]

Not to my knowledge I do not have a goiter. How would I know for sure with out being able to see and feel it on the external part of my neck? I have heard that they are visually obvious?! I have no idea really. lol

One of the possible reasons for this .... which I learned on another website like this one ... is that sometimes there is swelling of the thyroid gland when you have Hashimoto's. It goes down and swells back up periodically. Not sure if this is accurate ... but didnt sound so far fetched at the time.

[Rachel4]

Interesting. Is the clicking in your throat or in your ears when you swallow? And does it occur with a wet swallow (with food or liquid), dry swallow (no food or liquid), or both?

This is an accurate animation of the swallowing process (swallowing with a bolus). Maybe that will help you determine where the click is occurring and can better help you research it. http://www.hopkins-gi.org/multimedia/database/intro_250_Swallow.swf

[megsmom007]

Hi Rachel,
The clicking is in my throat ... I can feel as well as hear it when i dry swallow. I only feel it when I swallow without food or drink in my mouth. And pardon me for sounding simple (lol) ... but what is a bolus?

Thanks for your response, I am going to check out that website right now!!

tammy

[Rachel4]

Sorry, a bolus is the lump of food and liquid you swallow.

[KD9ER]

I get the click when I'm laying down.  Not when I'm sitting or standing, but just when I lay down.  I have a Nodule that is very close to the voice box on my right side...I think that has a lot to do with it.  

My click stems from right around my vocal chord area.  I also hear it and feel it.  My husband hears it and often asks me to stop.  I had to explain it wasn't me doing it on purpose!  LOL  I thought I was the only one with the "click".  :)

--K

[megsmom007]

Well I guess I might be due for an ultrasound of my throat. Its been about 4 years. And you never know, maybe I have a nodule myself!! Could be the start of a goiter ... I have no idea. As long as it is harmless I can handle it.

And no you are not the only one with the "click"!! lol It seems like such a trivial thing, yet causes so much worry. I am glad to hear from the few that responded that it is likely nothing to worry about. I will have it checked none the less. I am going to ask my DR to do an ultrasound.

Tammy

[tam64]

I TO  HAVE HASHIMOTO"S  AND I GOT THE SAME CLICK..DRIVE ME NUT.YES I HAVE A GOITER THEY DID AN UNLTERSOUND IT 4.5 CM IN SIZE AND THEY ABOUT TO REMOVE

[Tinkerbell773]

I have the clicking in my throat too. Iv read tons of blogs and the only thing I found was a blog that said this girl had the same thing and was sent to a phisical therapist l. The md claimed her throat was weak and she needed a phisical therapist knew how to strenghten her throat. She claimed that after phisical therapy the clicking was gone. I haven't tried anything cause I don't have medical insurance, but i hope it helps.

My bf said he thinks it's that the material my throat is made of has been weakened. I was real sick and throwing up for weeks due to a problematic pregnancy and the clicking started during this illness. Well he believes that the side where the clicking occers is just cause it has been weakened and maybe if studied what that part is made up of, suppliments in the diat may
help your body strengthen the weakened area and heal it's self. It sounded like a good idea.

Another medhelp user has a reply from someone who said people with this problem has been cured threw this surgery and has the link posted. Let me try to find the link and I'll post it.

[Tinkerbell773]

Http://dysphagia.com/mlist/2002-January/msg00146.html.    That's the website which should explain the surgery

[LazyMoose]

To sum up my experience and others, you might say Hashis means to expect the unexpected as far as throat matters' go. Cherish the times when your throat is fine! Mine has been much better on natural dessicated brands vs. synthroid types. Yes I have nodules also. If I can breath, swallow and talk with out pain or interruption,  that's good enough for me.

[nikki006]

i have this clicking in my throat it does not hurt it just aggitates me, it only happens when i hold my head down,also when i put my hand tightley to my thoroat it doesnt happen anymore, i am getting scared because i have never felt this before, and i dont have insurance so i need to find a reasonable ear,nose,throat docter

[nikki006]

i am getting more scared by the minute i want to know if this will go away

[swim448]

Yeah I've been having this too. Is anybody from this thread still around? I hope you're all ok!

I can voluntarily cause the click. It sounds and feels like a mouse click in my throat. I can do it every 10 seconds or so. It clicks most often when I exhale. When I'm lying down and sleeping I notice it. I think all-in-all, it clicks every waking hour now. I've had it for at least 7 months, and it seems to occur more often now, but there hasn't been any change in the quality of the sound.

Possibly related... I've had issues with posture and mechanical neck injury, and it still bothers me. Combined with the clicking, it sometimes puts a damper in my life. I try not to let it bug me too much.

It reminds me every day that life is short, so I need to make the most of it.

[Barb135]

I think the only one who posted on this thread, who is still around, is LazyMoose and we don't see him real often, but I think he's doing fine.

Do you have a thyroid condition?

[swim448]

Thank you Barb135.

I don't know if I have a thyroid condition or not. I think I just have the clicking problem, as well as some spine alignment issues. 29 years old, had an X-ray of my neck but the doctor didn't spot anything. My on-and-off smoking might be contributing to factors...

[Barb135]

Thyroid conditions can have so many varied symptoms, you should always get proper blood tests done, whenever the possibility of abnormal thyroid function exists.  

The basic tests you need are TSH, Free T3 and Free T4...... don't settle for just TSH, as that won't give you an accurate picture of what's going on, even though that's what doctors typically diagnose by.  Once you've had those tests done, there may or may not be more, you should have, depending on your results.

FYI  - I did notice during the night, a slight "clicking" sound in my throat; I've had it before, but not often.  It didn't seem to be thyroid related.  I no longer smoke, either, so that can't be a factor, for me.

[swim448]

Thank you. I'll post back if I do get tested.

[mariana3526]

I too click. I'm 31 years old and this is driving me crazy. it has literary taken a toll on my life. i had a polyp removed and they put me to sleep. two days later i got this throat clicking thing going on. it doesn't hurt but its driving me crazy. some days are worse than others.

[craigdog]

I just came here to search for "throat clicking" not knowing this would be an active thread.  I ran down the stairs at work today on my way to lunch and could hear the click as I hit every other step.  I was diagnosed hypo over 3 years ago and I'm dealing with my first relapse (6.43 TSH).  When I was originally diagnosed I really didn't notice the throat at all.  This time it's a little weird feeling, and harder to swallow, and of course the newly discovered clicking.

[mariana3526]

is anyone doing any better?

[craigdog]

Thanks for asking mariana3526.  Unfortunately I'm really struggling with the depression and major obsession still.  Every few days I convince myself I'm doing better, but then I have a day like today and I know I have a ways to go.  I'm 9  weeks into this relapse.  I wish I could remember how long it took for my last recovery but this one feels like it's here to stay.  I told my wonderful wife 30 minutes ago that she should seriously think about if she wants to be with me for the next 40 years.  She broke down and cried.  I'm a jerk and I can't deal with it.  She is the envy of all of my friends and could find a guy in 5 minutes.  I can only hope this is temporary like last time.  I'm about to throw away everything I ever worked for.  I sincerely hope you are doing great.  Good luck!

[mariana3526]

I completely understand.  I have days were im  fine and days i feel i can't take it much longer....i tell my husband the same thing.  I just wish someone can tell me if there's ever went away. So how did your
Clicking start? ...

[craigdog]

One of my major obsessions right now is exercise.  If I run smoothly it doesn't click.  If I land hard, I can feel/hear the click.  It really doesn't bother me at all.  Do you know what causes that?  I suppose I can google it.  

I apologize for the whinny post last night.  I had a few beers to ease my mood and really started feeling sorry for myself.

[mariana3526]

Haha. Thats ok! We all have moments like that... I'm glad your feeling better today. Today has been hard for me because I'm scared of hearing something bad at the ENT tomorrow.. ill keep you updated on what he says....i feel like puling my hair because i can't take it anymore. How is your eating? does it click when you eat?

[craigdog]

I have no eating issues. My voice gets rough often. Good luck with that appt. Keep us posted and get well soon.

[mariana3526]

IAM SO UPSET! my throat had been clicking non stop for 13 days straight.. one hour before my dr appt. it stopped clicking.. so the dr looked at me like i was crazy. he said nothing was wrong with me and sent me on my marry way. the next day it was click, swallow, click......GRRRRRR! Sorry! i just need to vent... please someone help me if you have answers

[mariana3526]

How is evryone doing? any updates? any changes? PLEASE ! LETS HELP EACH OTHER WITH FEED BACK

[Applecore]

This is something I have had an issue with in the past and never associated it with thyroid.  I haven't had it for I don't know how long.  It was something I didn't know what caused it.  Mostly for me it happened when I was laying down.  I only sleep on my sides, never on my back.  I am old (73) just kidding, I'll never get old.  Anyway, several times in the past I would wake up with my throat closed and I couldn't breath.  I would gasp and gasp until it opened up.  This only happened 3 times over several years.  My girlfriend told me to sleep on my side and it wouldn't happen.  She is right.  I think when you get older, everything starts sagging and your throat does to.  It works for me.  Maybe the clicking would stop too.  Worth a try.  This is only from my experience.  I have heard this happening in my husband's throat when he sleeps also on his back.   I keep finding out different things that are caused or happen to people with hashimoto.  Not fun is it.

[mariana3526]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me.

[jenny511w46]

i was told it was GERD. Being hypothyroid can make GERD worse. Since my hypo has been under better control i noticed the clicking has not been so constant.

[mariana3526]

how do you check if its a thyroid problem? blood work?