A spasm in the throat is a rare and serious change in the functioning of the larynx. There are several reasons why such a pathological condition may occur. Discomfort can occur suddenly and for no reason. Under such conditions, a person feels discomfort in the process of swallowing food and during inhalation and exhalation, an asthma attack may occur. Quite often the attack happens at night. In this regard, the patient develops a feeling of fear and anxiety. Therefore, everyone should know the main causes of a spasm in the throat. Only after a thorough medical diagnosis, the doctor should prescribe complex therapy, since self-medication can harm and provoke the development of serious he alth problems.
Causes of spasm
Under the influence of negative environmental factors, a spasm of the larynx may occur. Sometimes, this condition is caused by irritation or trauma. The main causes of situational spasm of the throat include:
- taking medications that have antispasmodic side effectsaction;
- stress;
- systematic experiences;
- great overwork;
- breathing air that contains irritants.
If you carelessly consume food and interact with the allergen, then a spasm in the throat may occur. Under such conditions, problems arise in the work of the respiratory system. Spasm develops due to strong irritation of the nerves that are located in the pharynx, this happens with tumors of the esophagus, aneurysm, tetanus. If the patient has a feeling of a foreign body in the throat and breathing problems, then a thorough medical examination should be carried out to help determine the disease that provoked the onset of an unpleasant symptom.
What pathologies often provoke spasms?
There are several pathological conditions that can lead to spasms of the larynx. These include:
- endocrine diseases;
- mental disorder;
- infectious disease.
With laryngitis, an acute form of tonsillitis, pharyngitis, a spasm in the throat often occurs. If a person has diseases of the stomach and intestines, the musculoskeletal system, then a spasmodic condition often occurs.
Main signs of spasm
There are several symptoms that can identify an antispasmodic condition, namely:
- The breathing process is changing. During inspiration, the patient feels a slight whistle and a strong cough.
- Spasm can range from minutes to hours, days.
- Feeling of a foreign body in the throat.
- The patient tries to drink as much water as possible to improve his well-being, but the feeling of a lump does not stop bothering the patient.
- Spasm gets worse during meals.
- There is severe soreness in the throat.
"Feeling of a lump in the throat - what is it?" many patients ask. When a person chokes on food, a similar feeling of a lump in the throat occurs, the only difference is that when feeling a foreign body is absent. Due to the pathological tension of the neck muscles, severe pain occurs. If you press on the throat, the discomfort increases, the skin becomes pale. With a prolonged spasmolytic state, the throat acquires a blue tint. If there is a slight degree of suffocation of the throat, then the spasms will pass after a few minutes. This time will be enough to normalize the functioning of the respiratory and swallowing organs. If the therapy of laryngeal spasm is not carried out in a timely manner, then additional symptoms appear in the form of:
- convulsions;
- foaming at the mouth;
- Sudden loss of sanity.
Under such conditions, the work of the cardiovascular system is disrupted. If timely therapy is not carried out, then serious complications can occur - up to the death of the patient.
Cramp during or after eating
Feeling of a lump in the throat - what is it? In this condition, it seems to a person that something is stuck in the throat, but there is no foreign body. In the process of consumptionfood, a sudden spasm of the muscles in the throat and esophagus may occur. This process can occur both during meals and after. Under such conditions, severe discomfort occurs and the general well-being of a person worsens. If you swallow sharp fish bones, this will provoke a change in the patency of the esophagus. To solve the problem, doctors use a surgical method of therapy. Due to the use of a spicy and fatty dish, reflux disease can occur. Under such conditions, the acidity of the juice in the stomach increases. To prevent the development of a he alth problem, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo a thorough medical examination.
Endocrine diseases
Quite often there are spasms due to endocrine diseases of the throat. In the event of thyroid diseases, the work of the respiratory system may be disrupted, while there is a feeling of squeezing the throat. Such symptoms develop due to the painful growth of the gland tissue. If the thyroid gland has increased slightly, then the person has the following symptoms of a spasm of the larynx:
- sweating;
- asthenia;
- irritability and diarrhea;
- rapid heartbeat;
- hand tremor.
If one of the signs of illness appears, you need to visit a doctor. Self-medication can provoke complications. In the subsequent stages of the development of the disease, the pharynx is compressed, so many just want to scream - "I can't breathe!". If the parathyroid gland is affected, a severe spasm of the muscles in the throat can occur. If the index decreasesparathyroid hormone, then there will be a deficiency of calcium and phosphates. As a result, unbearable convulsions develop. Pain can cover all muscles, not the exception of the esophagus.
Psycho-neurological disorder
When neuropsychiatric disorders occur, spasms in the throat may occur. To refute or confirm the pathology, it is necessary to visit a doctor and carry out a thorough diagnosis. Most often, the symptoms of spasm in neurosis occur due to:
- conflict;
- strong feelings;
- stress;
- prolonged surge.
When many mental illnesses appear, there is an asthma attack, a feeling of vacuum in the throat and an increase in body temperature. At the slightest irritation, a nervous breakdown can occur. A person wants to shout - "I can not breathe!". With neurosis, the stomach hurts, the heart hurts, the patient is afraid to die. Such experiences negatively affect the general he alth of the patient, and therefore there are severe cramps in the throat and drying out in the mouth. In addition, breathing becomes difficult and the larynx becomes numb, the voice disappears. Sometimes there is hysteria. If one of the symptoms of a psychosomatic spasm of the larynx appears, it is important to consult a doctor and not self-medicate. Only the attending physician can prescribe medications that will help eliminate the disease.
Appearance of laryngospasm
Laryngospasm is one of the most common types of spasm, which can manifest itself as an involuntary contraction of the pharyngeal muscle. It develops suddenly and is accompanieddisturbance in the work of the respiratory system, often there is shortness of breath. With a severe course of such a pathological condition, severe suffocation develops, such a phenomenon is dangerous for a person’s life and can lead to his death. Quite often there is a sharp contraction of the pharynx in children.
Spasms in children
Among the main factors that provoke the development of such a pathological condition are:
- development of an infectious disease in a child's body;
- allergen exposure;
- long-term drug use;
- calcium and vitamin D deficiency.
The main symptoms of the spasmolytic condition of the throat include:
- throat and chest pain;
- inability to make sound and swallow food;
- feeling of a foreign body in the throat.
"I'm suffocating," a child might think. In frequent cases, after a few minutes, the state of he alth improves, in case of severe laryngospasm, you should immediately go to the hospital or call an ambulance. In the process of development of pathology in children, more pronounced clinical symptoms appear:
- cough barking and wheezing;
- the skin becomes pale in color - this phenomenon may occur due to the baby's fear, prolonged crying.
Under what conditions does the larynx swell and there is an acute lack of oxygen. If you start the pathology, then foam appears from the mouth, the face turns blue and the person loses consciousness. In such a case, you should immediatelycall an ambulance.
First Aid
Spasm of the larynx in adults can last a few seconds and go away on its own. With longer spasms, you should immediately help the patient and call an ambulance. How to get rid of throat spasms? First of all, you need:
- provide a calm environment for the patient;
- open windows to ventilate the room;
- give water to drink;
- if the patient has lost consciousness, then ammonia must be used.
If such recommendations did not help to improve the general well-being of the patient, and he says: "I'm suffocating!" - it is necessary to ask the victim to hold his breath and pat on his back, artificially induce vomiting. With a prolonged attack, you need to take a bath with warm water. Thanks to this event, tension will be relieved and the muscles of the pharynx relaxed. The specific treatment is prescribed by the doctor, depending on the cause that provoked the development of throat spasms.
How to relieve spasm of the larynx at home? With an allergic attack, you need to drink an antihistamine. With the help of Suprastin, Dimedrol, Tavegil, choking of the throat is treated. If spasms are due to an asthmatic attack, bronchodilators should be used. With the help of "Ephedrine", "Theofedrine", "Onosma" the patient is treated. Thanks to Berodual, you can quickly eliminate spasms in the throat. If there arebreathing problems due to the development of a tumor of the larynx, then it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention. You should know that any drug should be prescribed strictly by a doctor, depending on the severity of the patient's condition and his physiological characteristics.
Preventive measures
Throat cramps can happen to anyone. To reduce the possible risk to a minimum, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of specialists. These include:
- lead a he althy lifestyle;
- include only he althy foods in the diet;
- don't worry and don't be nervous;
- treat diseases in a timely manner;
- get regular medical check-ups.
Spasm of the muscles of the larynx is an unpleasant and dangerous painful condition that can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, if one of the symptoms of a spasm of the throat is found, you need to visit a doctor. Under such conditions, there will be no serious complications.
Folk treatments
How to treat spasm of the larynx? Sometimes non-medical methods can come to the rescue. Folk remedies can eliminate spasms in the larynx. Before carrying out therapy, it is necessary to visit a doctor in order to identify the cause that provoked the appearance of an unpleasant symptom. Among the most effective folk methods of treating spasms are:
- Treatment with onion peel. It is necessary to fill in 2 tbsp. l. dry drug 300 ml of hot water. Insist 10 minutes. Beforestrain using. Drink 1 glass of healing agent before going to bed.
- With the help of chamomile infusion, you can effectively eliminate spasms and improve the overall well-being of a person. To prepare a healing agent, it is necessary to add 2 tbsp to a liter of boiling water. l. flowers. Drink a healing drink several times a day for 150 g.
- Thanks to honey and kefir, spasmodic muscles can be relaxed. On an empty stomach, you need to eat honey (1 tsp) and drink kefir (150 g).
In the event that a throat massage, rest and folk methods did not help, you need to visit a doctor, because this condition causes discomfort to the patient and prevents him from leading a full and familiar lifestyle. The duration of the course of drug treatment should be strictly prescribed by the doctor. Self-medication can be harmful. Healing herbs have exactly the same strong effect as pills, so it's better not to risk it and seek help from a specialist.
Note to patient
In the event that spasms in the throat occur systematically, this indicates that a serious violation has occurred in the functioning of the human body. Under such conditions, it is necessary to conduct a medical examination in order to identify the disease that provoked the development of an unpleasant symptom. The doctor will determine the cause of the spasm of the larynx. It is not recommended to take medicines at home without a doctor's prescription, since many medicines have contraindications and side effects. To prevent the development of serious he alth problems,you need not delay the trip to a specialist, conduct a comprehensive treatment.
