Summary: ENT Doctor in Palawan explains the causes and bad effects of constant throat clearing, as well as what you can do to stop this habit. Consult and ENT clinic if your symptoms do not go away on their own.
Ahem. Eh-emm.
Uhhhhrrrmmm..
You may be one of those people who frequently clear their throats . Or probably you have friends or co-workers who have this loud throat strain to clear up phlegmy mucus. Throat clearing is a common habit that many people have that is disregarded by may warrant an ENT doctor consult. Clearing your throat is a reflexive action that involves forcibly expelling air through your vocal cords,in an attempt to get rid of irritants or mucus in your throat.
It may offer temporary relief, but did you know that throat clearing is actually not good for you?
Inside of our Adam’s apple is our voice box. Our voice is produced when air is pushed from the lungs and our pair of vocal cords opens and closes and vibrates against each other to produce our voice.
What happens every time you clear your throat however, is you are repeatedly causing irritation and inflammation of the throat tissues. This can make your throat even more sensitive and prone to irritation. This can create a vicious cycle of throat irritation, throat clearing, and further irritation, leading to chronic throat problems
Another thing that happens during throat clearing is instead of the gentle vibration of our cords, you are injuring your vocal cords by causing intense friction when they rub against each other and thus straining them. The vocal cords are delicate structures and forcefully clearing your throat can cause damage to your vocal cords and larynx, which can affect your voice quality and lead to hoarseness or even vocal cord nodules.
Repeated throat clearing also aggravates underlying conditions such as allergies, and acid reflux, a condition where gastric acid goes back up into your throat.
Constant throat clearing can also interrupt daily activities in the sense that in may be disruptive and embarrassing in quiet environments like meetings, lectures and concerts. It may also be difficult to break the habit of constant throat clearing, and may lead to anxiety and stress.
What are the causes of throat clearing?
There are many causes of throat clearing. Vocal cord conditions such as nodules or polyps may make talking more difficult and make you feel that something is stuck in the back of the throat. Allergy to certain food or air triggers may contribute to throat irritation. Acid reflux, a condition wherein gastric acid goes back up into your throat, my cause irritation in your pharynx. Post-nasal drip, where excessive mucus from the nose is produced and goes back down into the throat, may also aggravate throat irritation. Environmental factors such as dry air or air pollution may also be a factor.
Therefore, it's best to avoid clearing your throat as much as possible. So what can you do instead of clearing your throat?
- Drink a LOT of water. This will make your mucus less sticky
- Take small sips of water during the day
- Breath lightly, then swallow.
- Try humming.
- Dry swallow. When you swallow your saliva, you close your vocal folds and it can clear your throat of mucus
- Laugh lightly and then swallow.
- Clear your throat silently. Use the air pressure from your lungs to clear the mucus from your vocal cords
- Talk through it. When you talk, the vibration of the vocal folds will be enough to clear the mucus.
- It is important to diagnose and treat underlying conditions which may cause throat clearing, such as allergies and acid reflux, post nasal drip.
- Address other environmental factors such as air pollution or if the room air is too dry. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist, which may help reduce throat irritation.
In conclusion, throat clearing is a habit that can be harmful to your health. If you are a frequent throat clearer, it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause to stop this habit. If you are unable to stop throat clearing on your own, consult an ENT doctor for further evaluation and treatment.