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[Eddie]

Evening ladies, I've googled round in circles with this. Last Saturday eating dinner, towards the end I started feeling my throat a bit uncomfortable. I have had this feeling back and forwards for a while and have had recurrent sinus trouble. Anyway it didn't go away and my neck looked red and blotchy. After about an hour we thought best to call nhs24 for advice. We'll they were worse than useless. Ended up in a&e and had a scope done. Not nice but showed nothing. It did feel more bearable until this evening when it just got worse again! Has anyone any experience of this type of thing? Eddie. X

[Ju Ju]

I wonder if you are describing what I have experienced. I have had a spasm in my oesophagus after eating certain foods.

It started years back as an intolerance to wheat in all forms and to some other unidentified foods. This was very obvious as it happened every time I ate wheat, even the smallest amount unwittingly. Very painful and frightening, but the GP I saw was very dismissive and sent me on my way distressed. Fortunately, I can tolerate wheat in moderation now. However, the spasms worsened when eating meat and fish in solid forms, eg., roast, but not as part of a well cooked casserole. I ended up in A and E after not being able to swallow for 5 hours after eating roast chicken. After a 2 hour wait, before seeing a doctor, the symptoms eased and I was able to drink water. The doctor was very reassuring and said this is not an uncommon problem and it was unlikely to be serious. He recommended drinking fizzy drinks, which I find helps to bring up offending foods, painfully, but does give relief much quicker. He also recommended I go back to the GP to get a referral for an endoscopy just to make sure. I did, but again was sent on my way to cope as best as I could on my own. The problem worsened a couple of years ago, so I went back and saw a different doctor, who thought it was a functional problem, but that having a look would be wise. The endoscopy revealed that nothing untoward, only a few polyps. I believe that it is part of IBS.

I have been seeing a Body Stress Release Practitioner for other reasons and mentioned the problems I have had. She has been working on the muscles related to the throat and oesophagus with great success. If I do have a problem, it is an unpleasant lump in the throat sensation only, which can is relieved to some extent by drinking fizzy water. Even this is easing. Unfortunately, there are not many Body Stress Release Practitioners in this country yet. My lovely lady has helped me resolve several health conditions, including a damaged knee, which I had fallen heavily on and would swell up after twisting and walking any distance. The chiropractor made no impression on it after several attempts. One treatment from my lovely lady and no more problems! She specialises in conditions like VA.

Hope this helps. By the way, I am learning to be more assertive and demanding with the medical profession now. Just because they cannot diagnose a health issue doesn't mean it doesn't exist or is all in the mind.

[Rowan]

I also have had these painful and sometimes frightening oesophagus spasms also occasionally waking up suddenly with the feeling of not being able to swallow, over Xmas I had the awful virus that effects the throat and chest, which in turn bought on some of the above symptoms  ( I do have mild asthma occasionally)

The way I deal with this when it happens is to use a Reiki technique ( I am a Reiki 11 student) I rub my hands together vigorously until I can fell the energy the friction produces and rest both hands on throat and then chest, you can feel everything start to relax eventually and the spasms start to fade, this technique helps with  tummy pains causes by gas too. There is nothing mystical about this and you don't have to be initiated into Reiki, its a physiological response which calms and relaxes, and also helps with Peristalsis.

Being mindful of what brings on the spasms, foods, not gulping and not eating when stressed will all help. Another thing that I have found that can contributed is post nasal drip, which I have from time to time I can feel in dripping down the back of my throat strangely when I am in the car and its going up hills, must be something to do with pressure, taking a Lemsip Max helps to clear it, probably the  guaiphenesin which is an expectatory.

Hope this is of help.

[Eddie]

Thanks ladies, it does sound similar. I thought it would have passed by now. I will try the heat thing and fizzy juice. Not something I drink much of. Ent want to do a barium swallow test, I think that will show if it is spasms if I can still feel it by then.
My mum has over active thyroid and my brother had to have most of his thyroid removed, so this is my worry. Eddie. Xx

[Rowan]

Eddie I had Barium swallow test with Xray, with me nothing showed. I was offered an endoscopy but declined.

It will most probably go away on its own.

Your GP will be aware of your fears about your thyroid, and most probably would send you for tests if he is a good GP and concerned.