Excessive Throat Clearing Should Not Be Neglected

Introduction

Sometimes there is a need to remove an excess of mucus that sits in the back of the throat. This feeling sometimes stays for a short period and does not have to be given much attention. When this throat clearing extends the normal time then it should not be neglected. Excessive throat clearing can be a sign of underlying medical conditions. Expert advice should be sought for this. The feeling can be nagging or irritating for the person and the people around them. When throat clearing becomes persistent, it becomes important to uncover what is causing it. Chronic throat clearing has the potential to damage the vocal cords over time and is often the cause of an underlying condition. Determining, and discovering the cause is key to curbing throat clearing. Some of the medical conditions in which excessive throat clearing occurs are given in the article. These medical conditions need to be diagnosed and treated by specialists and experts.

What Is Throat Clearing and When Is It Considered Abnormal?

When a person feels a nagging and irritating sensation that something is attached to the back of their throat and its removal is necessary. The person tries to swallow it and attempts to clear the throat. Generally, mucus is stuck in the back of the throat and once it gets removed the throat feels no obstruction. This process is usually known as throat-clearing. It is normal to clear the throat once in a while or for a few days when the person is suffering from a cold. But when the throat clearing extends the normal time period and lingers for weeks or months, then it is called excessive throat clearing. It is a very uncomfortable feeling when one has to do it repeatedly and also the surrounding people may get annoyed by the growling noise the throat clearing makes. Excessive throat clearing should not be neglected and one should take an expert’s advice as soon as possible.

What Can Be the Causes of Excessive Throat Clearing?

As there can be an underlying condition causing excessive throat clearing, a proper and timely diagnosis may help cure it. Read below:

• Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR): Normally arises from the effects of reflux on the glottis and vocal cords.

• Postnasal Drainage: Postnasal drip is a condition when more than normal mucus gathers and drips down the back of the throat.

• Chronic Motor Tic Disorder: A chronic vocal tic or motor tic disorder is described as a condition that either has quick, uncontrollable movements or vocal outbursts.

• Zenker’s Diverticulum: Zenker's diverticulum forms when the muscle between the throat and esophagus, over-tightens, pushing the throat above it to pouch out.

• Tourette syndrome: In Tourette syndrome, one has tics. Tics are sudden and abrupt twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly.

• Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder with streptococcus (PANDAS): When a child gets either obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or tic disorder or both abruptly appear after a streptococcal infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever.

Some other causes may include:

• Food allergies.
• side effects of certain medications.
• Habits.

Long-term treatment for chronic throat clearing relies on determining the underlying condition that causes it. Chronic throat clearing can also damage the vocal cords over time.

What Is the Most Common Disorder Associated With Excessive Throat Clearing?

Several people complaining of chronic throat clearing are suffering from a disorder called laryngopharyngeal reflux. It is caused when matter from the stomach both acidic and non-acidic crosses up to the throat region, inducing an uneasy sensation that makes a person want to clear the throat. Laryngopharyngeal reflux is the most common disorder that is related to excessive throat clearing. Silent reflux is another name for laryngopharyngeal reflux.

The majority of people with laryngopharyngeal reflux do not experience other symptoms that normally are seen with reflux, such as indigestion and heartburn. Treatment for laryngopharyngeal reflux may constitute medication and also surgery in a few severe cases. Home remedies and lifestyle changes can be useful in several cases. Treatment ways are mentioned in the following for laryngopharyngeal reflux:

The recommended treatment is with proton pump inhibitors for a duration of three to six weeks in addition to a few important:

• Reduce or avoid the intake of spicy food and fried items.

• Gradually stopping or limiting the intake of tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks.

• Avoid cigarette smoking and alcohol.

• Consume plenty of fluids and keep the body rehydrated.

• Keeping a watch on stress or anxiety levels related to work or family.

• Uniformity in food and sleep patterns to be maintained.

• Avoid lying down after meals for at least two hours.

• Elevate the head of the bed for 30 degrees or more.

• Maintain voice hygiene.

The cure for this condition requires a lot of patience and effort, especially from the patient. Medications are only helpful if taken for three to six weeks or more continuously. Laryngopharyngeal reflux disorder may take many weeks to resolve if medications are frequently self-altered or interrupted. Excessive clinical consultations may result in such a case.

What Are the General Treatment Ways to Manage Excessive Throat Clearing?

Throat clearing generally requires treatment only if it is becoming bothersome or causing discomfort. The best way to relieve or prevent the symptom is to manage the underlying causes. A doctor may use endoscopy sometimes to uncover the reason behind it. A perfect diagnosis can be made after a detailed examination and observation. Generally, there are a few ways to manage excessive clearing of the throat.

Given below are the general ways of treatment for excessive throat clearing:

• Plenty of water should be consumed to keep the moisture in the throat which may help to relieve or reduce the feeling of obstruction in the throat.

• If a person has difficulty in swallowing, they should eat or chew slowly.

• Reduce throat irritation by keeping the moisture in the air maintained, maybe by using humidifiers.

• Sucking sugar-free candies may help too.

• Yawning can help to dodge the urge to clear the throat.

• Throat clearing is a reflex that occurs after irritation in the area or a feeling that something adheres to the back of the throat. It may also be an unconscious or conscious habit.

Conclusion

Even though throat clearing is a natural thing still when it is done persistently it may be destructive and traumatic. When a person realizes the problem and takes an expert’s advice, the underlying cause for it is discovered. Excessive throat clearing is not a specialized diagnosis but a symptom of an already present medical condition, so when this medical condition gets cured, excessive throat clearing will be under control. Once the medical condition causing excessive throat clearing is uncovered and the diagnosis is made, it can be treated under the specialist’s supervision. Hence, excessive throat clearing is not considered normal and should not be neglected.