Due to accidental pulling of cloth around neck, I choked for a few seconds. Will it cause any damage?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 21-year-old healthy male with no underlying conditions. Today about six to seven hours ago, I was getting a haircut and the barber had the cape/blanket around my neck pretty tight and so I asked him to loosen it and when he did, he yanked it back before unbuttoning it and it choked me for a couple of seconds. The cape was lying on above my Adam’s apple so I know it got pressed inward. There is not a lot of pain just discomfort like the feeling after getting choked. It was not intentionally done hard but it might have been the angle and where it was lying because it is a bit uncomfortable right now. If I take my mind off from it I do not feel it but as soon as I am remembered I feel the discomfort. Wondering if I had any damage permanently or if it is just temporary discomfort?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your symptom seems to be temporary. You need not worry about it. You can take a plain Paracetamol 750 mg (Tylenol) twice daily for three days after food. Tylenol will not only reduce the pain and discomfort but also the inflammation post-injury. Instead of Semithecone, you can take Nexium 20 mg (Esomeprazole) once daily on empty stomach for three days (because Tylenol can cause acidity).

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It could be laryngeal trauma of a lesser grade which will heal on its own. If you do not feel any improvement after three days of treatment then you can get a laryngoscopy done. If we suspect any cartilage disruption on laryngoscopy then we can get a CT scan done to come to the final diagnosis. I am very much sure that there will not be any major damage to your larynx, that is why I am not asking you to get a CT scan done. Please follow up after three days.