Has anyone ever had what is called a laryngospasm? For many years now, I have experienced only what I can describe as "air going down my throat/windpipe the wrong way." I am not eating food nor drinking anything when this happens - it is merely catching air down my throat/larynx which I have breathed in via my mouth that triggers a reaction to my body in which I CAN NOT BREATHE neither through my nose or through my mouth! Consequently, I can not speak either until it passes about 60 seconds later. During this time, it feels as though I am suffocating/drowning and it is THE scariest feeling in the world!
Laryngospasm (luh-RING-go-spaz-um) is a brief spasm of the vocal cords that temporarily makes it difficult to speak or breathe. The onset of vocal cord spasms is usually sudden, and the breathing difficulty can be alarming. However, the problem is not life-threatening, and it's generally brief and self-correcting as the condition typically lasts less than 60 seconds.
Your vocal cords are located in an upper part of the airway called the voice box (larynx). A vocal cord spasm limits the flow of air through the larynx. The cause of laryngospasm is often not known, but certain conditions may be contributing factors or triggers:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which acid from the stomach backs up into the food pipe (esophagus)
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux, in which the stomach acid backs up into the throat or back of the nasal passages
- Anxiety or stress
Fortunately, these "spasms" do not happen frequently, but I do get them once in a while. My friend's aunt had this as well and she told me she had to have minor surgery in order to correct it.
I've never heard of laryngospasm but it sounds absolutely terrifying. Thank goodness that it's not life-threatening
ReplyDeleteMy father had a very similar condition - but it had to do with the esophagus, and only happened when he was eating.
This is an informative but scary post.
Very scary!
Delete