Throat clearing is expected from time to time amidst your tasks for the day. It can be intentional to get someone’s undivided attention; something stuck around the vocal cord or a nervous habit; there are many reasons for it. If you feel something is stuck in your throat, it is likely phlegm and may stay there for months.
If your throat clearing is persistent, you must find out the reason for what’s causing it. Do not take this lightly; chronic throat clearing has the possibility to damage your vocals with time. Identification is the key to curbing the throat clearing trouble because of phlegm stuck in the throat for months.
5 Reasons Why You Need To Clear Throat Because of Phlegm Stuck in It
Persistent throat clearing because of phlegm stuck in it for months is a marker for an underlying condition that needs your attention. Here are some of the reasons why mucus builds up again and again.
Reflux
Mostly people with chronic throat clearing due to mucus suffer from a disorder known as Laryngopharyngeal reflux. The reason behind it is the traveling of both acidic and non-acidic content traveling to the throat, creating a sensation that results in coughing the mucus out.
Post-Nasal Drip
When your body starts overproducing mucus, it tends to clear it out more, making you cough. This is felt at the back of your throat, and the phenomenon is known as postnasal drip. The excess phlegm stuck in the throat is coughed out; this can carry on for months if you are prone to allergies.
Zenker’s diverticulum
The cases of this condition are rare, but we cannot completely rule out the possibility of it making phlegm stuck in the throat. In some people, the esophagus comes with an abnormal pouch preventing food from traveling toward the stomach. i.e., Zenker’s diverticulum. This condition causes pouch content and mucus to get stuck together in the throat for months or years.
Chronic motor tic disorder
Chronic motor tic disorder presents itself with short episodes of unexplainable spasms or commonly known as phonic tics. It usually starts before the individual turns 18 and lasts 5-6 years.
A few other symptoms of this issue seen are:
- facial grimacing
- blinking, twitching, shrugging, or jerking
- sudden uncontrollable movements of the legs, arms, or body
- grunts and groans
The treatment plan depends on illness severity.
Tourette syndrome
A neurological disorder that presents itself with both physical and vocal tics. The outburst is not voluntary and uncontrollable. Some other signs of Tourette’s includes:
- Darting and blinking of the eyes
- Twitching of nose
- Sudden mouth movements
- Head jerks
- Repetition the same words or phrases.
Final Outlook
Throat clearing is a common phenomenon, but if the mucus stuck in your throat is constant for months and leads to troubled breathing, get yourself checked primarily for allergies. After proper diagnosis, treatment can start. Contact Tomball, TX pulmonologist at Pulmonary Medical Consultants, for a checkup if you are confused about your condition. Make a call at 281 357 1300.