Is throat tightness another weird symptom of migraines? It’s something i’ve been dealing with for the past 2 months. I have it every day. I can’t find anything on connecting this with my MAV. I am going to see a rheumatologist soon, I wonder if he would have any answers for it. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at the same time as MAV, but really fibromyalgia is just something doctors say you have when they have no idea what you are suffering from.
It’s really difficult to know if you should go to the doc or not when you have new symptoms. Throat tightness seems to be another one of those symptoms I have that could mean anything (just from looking on the internet).
I start my 3rd drug for MAV this week. Hopefully one of these will actually do something
No trouble swallowing. It’s really another discomfort thing. I’ve had weird pressure in my chest for a couple of years now that again, doesn’t impact my breathing, but is discomfort. The throat tightness is the same. On the front of my throat. It feels like it’s closing, or like my tongue is swelling, but doesn’t impact me breathing, or eating or swallowing. It’s constantly there.
I didn’t go see Dr Silver. I still am. I just had to change my appointment because I couldn’t make my flight. I am going to see him in January. My neruo prescribed me with a new set of drugs. He doesn’t seem to understand a lot of my symptoms. On the last visit he booked me in for a brain wave scan (I’ve had two MRIs) and got me an appointment for a rheumatologist.
I can’t say I have experienced the throat tightness. During the first year of this I did have some soreness down the side of my throat and into my ear. It seems almost anything is possible with MAV though.
Does your neuro think it is MAV or did he not say? What meds did he give you?
Hey doesn’t really address any of the symptoms that don’t fit with migraine. He always just says it could be my fibro. I didn’t mention the throat tightness to him on my last visit. I find it hard now to talk about new symptoms with both my doc or neuro as they don’t seem overly interested. I dont’ really talk to anyone about them. I was thinking of going to the docs about this, but it’s hard to know if there is any point. I have so many weird symptoms that I have no answer for, not sure this would be any different. It’s hard to know what should be taken seriously and whats just another thing I have to live with.
I can’t recall the name of the new drugs. I have the prescription, but didn’t pick them up yet. Picking them up on Saturday. Hey said they were some type of calcium blocker. I’ll get the name tonight and update the thread.
Yeh I know what you mean about telling the doctors about the symptoms. When I first got ill I remember trying to play down the anxiety and panic attacks I was getting because I knew there was something else going on but I felt the doctors would love to label it all as anxiety and not investigate further. A good doctor should listen to all the little symptoms and build up a full picture. I am pretty sure Dr Silver has mentioned this in one of his talks. I would tell him everything at your appt x
If its like a lump in the throat when you swallow, it can be an anxiety symptom.
It can also be a symptom of a thyroid problem.
My throat closed up (different feeling to a lump in the throat) when I first tried one of the triptan drugs for migraine, I couldn’t even swallow a cup of tea properly. This is a known side effect but the feeling frightened me so I never use them.
It’s not like a lump in my throat. It’s discomfort in the front of my neck. Like a rubber band being around it. It doesn’t affect my breathing or swallowing. I am not on any meds at the moment. Starting a new batch on Saturday. I’ve had it for 2 months so it doesn’t seem to be going away. With the pressure in head, ears, eyes, back of neck, chest and heart pains, I am kind of assumings its another new thing I have.
i have this symptom of teckness that describe for yess abd yyears B4 MAV hit triied massage anti biotics supplementdvetc and nothing worked. plz do let uuus know what dr silver says. i have been trying to solve this mystery for lomg time but no luck yet
Hi there,
I have the same problem - I know exactly what you mean. I’ve had it for almost 6 months! Someone mentioned anxiety which is possible, but for me I think it is more of a stress thing. I saw a doctor and she checked my thyroid, but we both agreed it seemed stress induced. If you have a lot of tension from your MAV like I do I’m sure that makes it worse. I would pay really close attention to any moments where you DON’T have it. I find for me it’s when I am very relaxed. Drinking hot tea, doing yoga and meditation all help a bit. Above all - take care of yourself! Us MAVers need extra rest and wind down time. Wishing you the best!
Carly
Hi.
I am not sure if it is the same thing but my mom gets exactly what you are describing and the drs call it an esophogeal motility issue. She says that it’s like her throat gets tight or sometimes goes into spasm and that the only thing that helps relax it is if she drinks water very slowly. She does not get mav like me but the mav comes from her side of the family bc my brother and aunt have it. We don’t get the throat tightness thing. She said her gastroenterologist diagnosed her with it and said it was caused by a neurological problem. She said she gets it when she’s stressed out most of the time but it can happen anytime as well. It seems like it might b your esophagus that is having the tightness if it does not affect your breathing. Perhaps a GI dr would b able to help you?
I had the feeling almost like something was stuck in my throat for about 24hrs just out of nowhere and then it went away. Full out vertigo and constant dizziness hit about one month later.
Do you still get this feeling? I occasionally get something similar but went through a period earlier in the year where the muscles around my throat and or the throat itself were tight for 2 months. This was not anxiety but was triggered at the same time as all my other symptoms by the same triggers such as computers, bright ligts or motion. I could never find any explanation for it and had trouble even describing it to the docs. Sometimes it feels like a muscle inside my throat is swelling up and putting pressure on and tightening everything.
My thought is that maybe somehow the vestibular system is shifting and tightening muscles and tendons in my throat autonomously as its reacting to false information it is receiving or processing, almost like thats the position it thinks a certain muscle should be in. Other than that I’ve got no idea.
Also sometimes there is an associated tingling in the muscle tightening.
Hi, I have precisely the throat tightness the OP is describing: it feels like pressure, but does not inhibit breathing or eating. It comes after my body perceives something stressful - for me that’s light and noise, being in a car, etc. Once it starts it’s really, really hard to stop. I know I’m posting ten+ years after everyone on here…but did you ever find any answers?
Thanks!
I used to get a feeling of taut muscles at the front of my throat which was down to MAV. It affects the main nerve which runs to the jaw which I figured can then affect the muscles. I also have had a sore throat caused by referred nerve pain from MAV. It can cause all sorts of strange feelings that are not generally recognised by the medical profession.
I do get throat tightness as well when my migraine symptoms are at their worst. It feels like a tightened rubber band. I’ve actually had it linger for months before and when I’m able to get the migraine symptoms down better the tightness goes away.