Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsGERDAnxietyAllergic ReactionTonsillitisGoitersMuscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD)Vocal Cord DysfunctionEosinophilic EsophagitisLaryngeal DystoniaDysphagiaCancerWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
GERD
Anxiety
Allergic Reaction
Tonsillitis
Goiters
Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD)
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Laryngeal Dystonia
Dysphagia
Cancer
When to Seek Medical Care
Your throat might feel tight for several reasons, includinggastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), allergic reactions, anxiety, throat infection, or, rarely, cancer.
A tight throat can make you feel like your airway passage is narrowed, causing symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or breathing or the sensation of alump in your throat.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
What Does a Tightening Throat Feel Like?
Throat tightness often occurs with other symptoms.These symptoms may occur at specific times, like tightness in the throat after eating or when you first wake up. The pattern of symptoms can help you and your healthcare provider understand the cause.
Some of the things you might experience along with a tight throat include:
Multiple conditions can cause throat tightness.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)causes stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus, sometimes even reaching the back of the throat. Stomach acid is very damaging to the tissue of the esophagus and throat. This creates symptoms such assore throat and coughing, heartburn,hoarseness, and, in some cases, throat tightness.
A narrowing of the esophagus can occur when the tissue is damaged, and scar tissue is formed. This can make it difficult to swallow, create a feeling of tightness in the throat, or make it feel like you constantly have a lump in your throat. Food may also become lodged in the esophagus.
GERD is extremely common throughout the world, and the incidence is escalating in the United States. Since 2010, it has notably increased among individuals 30 to 39. The prevalence is approximately 18.1% to 27.8% in North America.
Treatment
Diet and lifestyle changes can help to reduce or eliminate GERD symptoms. These include:
Medications for GERD include over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs. If your symptoms don’t improve with OTC options, see your healthcare provider. Some common medications for GERD include:
Surgery or other medical procedures may also be necessary in some cases.
What Is GERD?
Anxiety disorders can result in panic attacks. During these episodes, you may feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and fear, which causes your heart to pound.
You may also hyperventilate, with breathing that’s rapid and shallow. These breathing episodes can affect your throat, causing tightness along with other symptoms like:
An estimated 40 million adults in the United States live with ananxiety disorderand six million of those have been diagnosed withpanic disorder.
How an Anxiety Disorder Is Treated
Although it feels like a medical emergency, anxiety and panic attacks typically are not imminently dangerous.
There are multiple treatment options to help people manage the symptoms of anxiety disorders. The most common include prescribed medication and/or psychotherapy. Those with a panic disorder often try both, plus practicingself-help and coping techniques.
If you or a loved one is struggling with panic attacks, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
Anaphylaxisis a life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause a dangerous swelling in your throat, closing off your airway and preventing you from swallowing and breathing properly.
It usually occurs due to allergies to insect bites and stings, certain foods and medications, or latex. While allergies to these substances are prevalent, anaphylaxis is not.
Throat Tightness Due to Allergic ReactionAnaphylaxis is a medical emergency. You should call 911 and use an EpiPen (epinephrine) if you have throat tightness along with other symptoms that come on suddenly, including:Swelling of the tongue, lips, face, or throat and an irregular heartbeatDifficulty breathing or swallowing, wheezing, cough, chest tightnessHives, rash, or itchingPale or red color to the face and body
Throat Tightness Due to Allergic Reaction
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. You should call 911 and use an EpiPen (epinephrine) if you have throat tightness along with other symptoms that come on suddenly, including:Swelling of the tongue, lips, face, or throat and an irregular heartbeatDifficulty breathing or swallowing, wheezing, cough, chest tightnessHives, rash, or itchingPale or red color to the face and body
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. You should call 911 and use an EpiPen (epinephrine) if you have throat tightness along with other symptoms that come on suddenly, including:
If you suspect you are experiencing anaphylaxis, seek medical help immediately.
Epinephrine is the standard treatment for anaphylaxis. Oxygen, IV fluids,antihistamines, and steroid medications may also be administered.
Symptoms of Anaphylaxis
Some consider the adenoids to be the third set of tonsils. However, because they are located above the other two sets they are unlikely to cause throat tightness.
Tonsillitis can be acute orchronicand has many underlying causes, including bacterial infections such asstrep throat, viral infections such asmononucleosis, and allergies.
Symptoms of tonsillitis include sore throat, red throat, and difficulty swallowing. In rare cases, when the tonsils become very large, you may feel throat tightness or even have difficulty breathing.
Tonsillitis is typically painful but not serious. It usually requires little medical intervention:
If the tonsils are so large that they interfere with breathing, your healthcare provider may prescribe an oral corticosteroid (steroid) to reduce their size.
For chronic tonsillitis, a completetonsillectomymay be necessary.
Can you have tightness in the throat with COVID-19?It’s possible, but if it’s COVID-19, you’ll also have more common COVID symptoms like fever and a dry cough. The hoarseness and difficulty swallowing linked to throat tightness are more likely to have another cause, such as tonsillitis.
Can you have tightness in the throat with COVID-19?
It’s possible, but if it’s COVID-19, you’ll also have more common COVID symptoms like fever and a dry cough. The hoarseness and difficulty swallowing linked to throat tightness are more likely to have another cause, such as tonsillitis.
Agoiteris a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the thyroid gland. If the thyroid becomes too large, it can compress the trachea and/or esophagus and create problems with breathing, swallowing, and throat tightness.
Goiters are more common outside the United States in areas with iodine-deficient soils and table salt that is not enriched with iodine; however, cases do occur in the United States.
Monitoring without treatment may be recommended if the goiter is small with no symptoms and no other underlying thyroid disease.
In most cases, treatment is necessary and customized to the underlying cause of the goiter. Treatments include:
Types of Thyroid Disease
Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD)occurs when the muscles surrounding thelarynx(the voice box) become so tight that they fail to function correctly. Symptoms of MTD include:
MTD may be more prevalent than researchers think and there is evidence it is common in people who havesevere asthma.
In most cases, MTD can betreated at homewith rest and time. The following strategies may also help alleviate the symptoms:
If MTD persists for more than one to two weeks, consult your healthcare provider or anear, nose, and throat specialist(ENT), also called anotolaryngologist.
In cases of vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), the vocal cords partially or fully close when they should remain open, producing throat tightness and trouble breathing. Due to similar symptoms, VCD attacks can be mistaken for asthma attacks.
Treatment of vocal cord dysfunction is typically a team effort involving an ENT, apulmonologist, and aspeech therapist. They work together to help those with VCD learn to relax their vocal cords as they breathe. VCD treatment may also include breathing exercises.
Eosinophilic esophagitis(EoE) is a chronic allergic/immune condition of the esophagus (the tube that moves food between the mouth and the stomach). Because the esophagus is chronically inflamed, those with EoE experience symptoms like difficulty swallowing solid or dry foods and vomiting. The esophagus sometimes narrows so severely that food can become lodged there.
EoE is a complex condition. Treatment centers around removing foods from the diet that may trigger allergies (e.g., dairy, wheat, eggs, and soy). Sometimes, a more strictelemental dietis recommended.
LD is often treated withbotulinum toxintherapy, which blocks nerve activity that controls the laryngeal muscles, reducing spasming. Speech or voice therapy is helpful for some people, and surgery is an option.
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, can range from mild difficulty to a painful inability to swallow. In severe cases, eating becomes a challenge, making it impossible to maintain a healthy weight.
Dysphagia can have many causes but occurs most often among older adults (e.g., those withParkinson’s diseaseordementia). Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing may cause dysphagia.
Treatments for dysphagia vary. Strategies may include:
One of thesymptoms of throat canceris feeling a lump in your throat. Swelling in one or morelymph nodesin the neck is a common early sign of throat, head, and neck cancers. A lump that comes and goes may not be due to cancer; cancerous lumps usually grow slowly bigger over time.
Throat cancer may be treated in several ways, including:
Depending on the stage of the cancer, one or more types of treatment may be necessary. Where the cancer begins in the throat also affects the type of treatment(s) used.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Tightness in the throat doesn’t always impair your ability to breathe or swallow. You should still see a healthcare provider even when it’s not a medical emergency, however. For example, in rare cases, untreatedstrep throatcan lead to kidney and heart problems.
If you carry an EpiPen (epinephrine) and go into anaphylaxis, you should still call 911 or go to the emergency room even after using the EpiPen because further treatment is usually necessary. In fact, it’s possible to go back into anaphylaxis even hours after your initial symptoms have subsided.
With the exception of an identified panic or anxiety attack, any throat tightness that impairs your ability to breathe or swallow is a medical emergency. You should call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Summary
A tight throat can make you feel like you can’t swallow or need to keep clearing your throat. If you have a tight throat and other symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swelling of the lips, throat, or tongue, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Multiple conditions can cause a sensation of tightness in the throat. GERD, anxiety, tonsillitis, and goiter are a few very treatable examples.
See your healthcare provider or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Malaty J, Wu V.Vocal Cord Dysfunction: Rapid Evidence Review.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(5):471-475.Yamasaki T, Hemond C, Eisa M, Ganocy S, Fass R.The changing epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Are patients getting younger?J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2018;24(4):559-569. doi:10.5056/jnm18140National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment.National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: When fear overwhelms.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis - Symptoms & Diagnosis.ENT Health.Tonsillitis.Windfuhr JP, Toepfner N, Steffen G, Waldfahrer F, Berner R.Clinical practice guideline: tonsillitis I. Diagnostics and nonsurgical management.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2016;273(4):973-987. doi:10.1007/s00405-015-3872-6Cooper University Health Care.COVID-19 and Tonsillitis.American Thyroid Association.Goiter.University of Michigan Health - Michigan Medicine.Muscle tension dysphonia.Vertigan AE, Kapela SL, Gibson PG.Laryngeal dysfunction in severe asthma: A cross-sectional observational study.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(2):897-905. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.09.034MedlinePlus.Hoarseness.Fretzayas A, Moustaki M, Loukou I, Douros K.Differentiating vocal cord dysfunction from asthma.J Asthma Allergy. 2017;10:277-283. Published 2017 Oct 12. doi:10.2147/JAA.S146007American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eosinophilic Esophagitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Laryngeal Dystonia.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Dysphagia.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Throat Cancer Symptoms & Signs.Yale Medicine.Throat Cancer - How is throat cancer treated?Shaker MS, Wallace DV, Golden DBK, et al.Anaphylaxis—a 2020 practice parameter update, systematic review, and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) analysis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020;145(4):1082-1123. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2020.01.017
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Malaty J, Wu V.Vocal Cord Dysfunction: Rapid Evidence Review.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(5):471-475.Yamasaki T, Hemond C, Eisa M, Ganocy S, Fass R.The changing epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Are patients getting younger?J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2018;24(4):559-569. doi:10.5056/jnm18140National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment.National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: When fear overwhelms.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Anaphylaxis - Symptoms & Diagnosis.ENT Health.Tonsillitis.Windfuhr JP, Toepfner N, Steffen G, Waldfahrer F, Berner R.Clinical practice guideline: tonsillitis I. Diagnostics and nonsurgical management.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2016;273(4):973-987. doi:10.1007/s00405-015-3872-6Cooper University Health Care.COVID-19 and Tonsillitis.American Thyroid Association.Goiter.University of Michigan Health - Michigan Medicine.Muscle tension dysphonia.Vertigan AE, Kapela SL, Gibson PG.Laryngeal dysfunction in severe asthma: A cross-sectional observational study.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(2):897-905. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.09.034MedlinePlus.Hoarseness.Fretzayas A, Moustaki M, Loukou I, Douros K.Differentiating vocal cord dysfunction from asthma.J Asthma Allergy. 2017;10:277-283. Published 2017 Oct 12. doi:10.2147/JAA.S146007American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eosinophilic Esophagitis.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Laryngeal Dystonia.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Dysphagia.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Throat Cancer Symptoms & Signs.Yale Medicine.Throat Cancer - How is throat cancer treated?Shaker MS, Wallace DV, Golden DBK, et al.Anaphylaxis—a 2020 practice parameter update, systematic review, and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) analysis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020;145(4):1082-1123. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2020.01.017
Malaty J, Wu V.Vocal Cord Dysfunction: Rapid Evidence Review.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(5):471-475.
Yamasaki T, Hemond C, Eisa M, Ganocy S, Fass R.The changing epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Are patients getting younger?J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2018;24(4):559-569. doi:10.5056/jnm18140
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American Thyroid Association.Goiter.
University of Michigan Health - Michigan Medicine.Muscle tension dysphonia.
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MedlinePlus.Hoarseness.
Fretzayas A, Moustaki M, Loukou I, Douros K.Differentiating vocal cord dysfunction from asthma.J Asthma Allergy. 2017;10:277-283. Published 2017 Oct 12. doi:10.2147/JAA.S146007
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eosinophilic Esophagitis.
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Yale Medicine.Throat Cancer - How is throat cancer treated?
Shaker MS, Wallace DV, Golden DBK, et al.Anaphylaxis—a 2020 practice parameter update, systematic review, and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) analysis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020;145(4):1082-1123. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2020.01.017
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