Throat tightness/closure and TMS?

I get tightness/tension in my throat, or the sensation that my throat is closing up, at seemingly random times. It's been happening in increasing frequency over the past couple months. It simply feels like my throat is not open all the way, like there's a lump or a "frog" sitting in there. It obstructs my breathing, and is quite concerning. If I tilt my head back, it feels like my throat "opens up" more and I can breathe more easily. But at regular sitting posture it feels tough to breathe and like I'm not getting enough air. I of course can't help but worry my throat will close up and I won't be able to breathe.

I'm a young, healthy and very active person. Runner, cyclist, active job, so I am in decent shape. But this feeling in my throat almost gives the impression that I'm huffing and puffing for air from being out of shape, though that can't be the case.

Could this be TMS? I don't notice that it is "triggered" by anything. Could it possibly be a medical condition? I tried mentioning this to a doctor but they're all yahoos and I can't trust what they tell me. Does anyone have personal experience with feeling like their throat is closing? Thank y'all!

 

I had tension in my throat for 8 years — and it was 100% TMS. It never really affect my breathing and it has gotten so much better in recent years. But the throat is a very common location to store unresolved emotional issues. Today I treat every health issue as a mindbody manifestation, but you did the right thing to get a second opinion since it is related to your breathing. Shallow breathing is an immediate effect of emotional repression, and I know from experience it can become chronic and stay that way for a long time. If your doctor was unable to help you, I don’t think you have anything to lose by treating your symptoms as a mindbody manifestation.

Keep in mind a noticeable “trigger” isn’t always required. Sometimes TMS is a result of personality traits (perfectionism, do-goodism, guilt, etc.) such that everyday life is enough to bring about its onset with no traumatic event or change in the environment.

 

It's called 'plum pit' throat and has been diagnosed as a stress symptom for centuries by the chinese....100% TMS. Have gotten it from time to time...really scary and totally there to get your attention

 

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It sounds like TMS equivalency to me. I too have what feels like a big lump in my left side throat about the Adam Apple level, and its also painful like a bad sore throat you get when you have a bad cold. I’ve had a lump in my throat actually since about 1995, back then it was also really sore like it is now for about 6 months .. then it became tolerable and I kinda just learned to live with it, but since then I’ve had several bouts where it gets really bad. I’ve been to numerous doctors and surgeons .. from ENT’s to Neurologist to Allergist to Internist, I’ve had MRI’s, CT scans, upper endoscopy, the unpleasant ENT scope through the nose down into the throat, etc.etc. Every time it gets bad like this I think “this time it’s probably cancer” I get really scarred and it just makes it worse.

When this first happened in 95’ it was a couple months after I was served divorce papers. With this current bout .. my Dad died 3 months ago, and my Mom is 92 and getting ready to check out too, and my sister decided to move in with her and dictate our lives .. as well as slander me with a bunch of false accusations .. very enraging. On top of that my home growing up was disfunctional and my folks finally divorced when I was 12, by age 14 I was taking drugs and drinking, and was sexually molested that same year .. just all prime TMS precursors. I’m reading again Sarno’s last three books, and just bought Dr David Schechters book Think Away Your Pain, but I think this time I’m going to need some psychotherapy by someone hip to Mindbody symptoms. Problem now though is my throats so tight, lumped up, and sore I can’t even talk without making it even worse. So yeah I’d say the throat issue is definitely a TMS equivalent. I’m also having stomach issues now as well as bad constipation since my Dad died. So anyway have you read Sarno’s books yet? I’d say that’s probably your first step if you haven’t already. Hopefully you can start working on this now while your young an nip it in the bud instead of like me waiting 25 years doing nothing till it gets really really bad. God bless you man, it’s tough I know.