the tickle

[cookie404]

My God - I just can't believe how many people are having the same symthoms that I am.  I've had this lousy tickle in the back of my throat, which makes me cough so hard, the eyes water, nose runs and the bladder just lets loose.  The embarrasment is more than I can stand.  This happens constantly, everywhere.  I thought for a while that I must have become allergic to my dogs, who shed.  But no - anything can set this off and anywhere.  I've had this now since the end of August  and it's driving me crazy (like a lot of you).  I'll be going to an ear, nose and throat specialist this week and see what comes of that.  Not that I'm optimistic about that since a lot of you have done that with no cure yet.

I don't know what more to do.  Has anyone lately found anything that can help?

Thanks


This discussion is related to Tickle in throat makes me cough and choke.

[Lindaindigo]

I have had this happen to me since childhood and I am now 72.  A throat tickle comes out of nowhere and brings an uncontrollable cough that usually is followed by heavy sneezing.  It feels like something the size of a dust mote has entered my throat when this happens so it may possibly be an allergic reaction to something.  I smelled some perfume once that brought it on.  Anyway, I have learned to keep cough drops on me at all times.   Water is good when you can get it but I find cough drops work better and they're portable for all occasions.  It's something I've learned to live with.

[Lindaindigo]

By the way, I had my tonsils removed when I was a child.  There may be a connection somewhere.

[southerngirl1913]

Caseyjmc,

I am curious to find out how things went with your gastroenterologist?  I have been suffering from this condition for months and it is just debilitating!  I have spent countless hours and money at doctor's offices and on meds that are just not working.

I need help!

[caseyjmc]

I have struggled with this for 18 years. More often than not, I struggle with a tickle on usually the right side of my throat. I cough until I bring up a clear stringy phlegm, and then it goes away for a while. Nothing else works to stop it.

I have been to lung specialists, ENT's, allergists, you name it...and I've been diagnosed with asthma (don't have it), allergies (don't have them), GERD (just spent the weekend with a tube down my esophagus testing for acid reflux—don't have it!). My heart is fine, no vocal cord dysfunction.

What I did find out from the test is that my esophagus doesn't work right. Instead of automatically and forcefully squeezing food and drink downward and into my stomach, it just just weakly nudges it down. To make matters worse, instead of having an esophageal sphincter muscle that is too open (thereby allowing acid reflux to happen, it is very tight and doesn't let the food into my stomach for a while, causing esophageal reflux, not GERD, which is causing my itchy throat. My esophagus just fills up as I eat, and I end up overeating because I'm still hungry. Then I'm miserable. Also, my itching gets worse if I am sitting a certain way, such as on the toilet, or at my computer, and the itching starts. Presumably it is because it is forcing food and drink left in my esophagus up to my vocal cords.

An ENT confirmed that during times of extreme itching, the bottom of my vocal cords are dry.

My gastroenterologist has told me that there is an answer to the tight sphincter. The same type of operation that closes a loose sphincter can be used to loosen a tight one. I am going in for a conference with her on June 1 to see about having this done. Apparently they make a cut in the sphincter muscle, then do a partial stomach wrap to make sure it won't be too loose. With a loose sphincter, they do a full wrap.

After spending thousands on expensive GERD medicines that didn't work, Nasonex and the like, giving up caffein and other acidic foods, using apple cider vinegar, etc. I may now have an answer. It's been almost half my life. I'm 55. Wish me luck!

[vernarie]

I have this tickle in the back of my throat and this happens everytime i got to my office. I find this really irritating and i'm sure my officemates do too. Theyve been noticing my coughing and it's really darn embarrassing!!! I cant stand it! I cant stand that i have to get up off my seat and stop whatever or however important it is im going and go out of the room just to cough until my eyes are red and teary and my face is red and hot! I cant stand this anymore i dont know what to do!!! I think it is an allergy because i get clear mucus! But if it is an allergy, to what? Could this also be viral??

[Raven70]

I've had these symptoms for years.  I find taking an antihistamine helps the tickle though it tends to make me drowsy.  Also a sip of club  soda helps quite a bit.  the carbonation gets rid of the tickle though temporarily.