Do you know how to overcome swallowing anxiety? Anxiety can cause stiffness in the throat in certain people. In this article, Daily Human Care is going to share tips for controlling swallowing anxiety. Anxiety can cause someone to feel like they’re choking or that they have a lump in their throat.
As a result, it might lead to a vicious cycle of anxiety. You can acquire ways for lowering stress and relaxing the throat muscles, however.
Do you know what is difficulty swallowing anxiety? Click to know details about it.
In this post, we’ll discuss a variety of techniques for relieving tension in the throat during times of stress.
Table of Contents
Tips for controlling swallowing anxiety
- Take your time, relax, and enjoy your meal.
- Reduce the size of your bites.
- Drinking fluids in larger gulps might lead to dehydration.
- Slow down and take your time chewing your food.
- chew properly when you eat.
- When you’re eating, don’t talk.
- Carbonated beverages should be avoided.
- Sucking on hard candies should be avoided.
How to overcome swallowing anxiety: relaxing the throat muscles quickly?
The best solution to overcome throat muscle tension is to address the underlying anxiety. Abdominal breathing can be used to quickly relieve anxiety by following the steps outlined below:
- Breathe in and out with awareness. If you’re hyperventilating, try blowing out a candle-like exhalation to slow things down.
- Place a hand on your belly and let your shoulders relax. Close your eyes and take a deep breath into your belly, ensuring that your lungs are fully inflated. As the belly grows, notice how the hand rises.
- Finally, let go of the breath completely, allowing the belly to return to its resting position. Take note of the hand’s inward movement.
- Feel the hand rise and fall with each inhalation as you continue to breathe this way.
- People can also make a soft “sss” sound as they exhale if it is helpful.
When anxious thoughts arise, simply return your attention to your breathing. While others prefer to focus on the sensation of the air entering their nose and lungs or imagine anxiety leaving their body as they exhale, both methods can be effective for some people.
Breathing slowly and steadily can be practiced until one feels better. When you are more relaxed, you should notice a reduction in any muscle tension.
Throat exercises for muscle tension
People can also attempt the following activities if mindful breathing doesn’t work:
How to overcome swallowing anxiety: Relaxing the tongue and larynx
A sigh and a yawn are recommended by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. As a result, the muscles in the throat can be eased by this.
When doing this exercise, a person can place a finger on the Adam’s apple, a bulge of cartilage in the throat. In time, the Adam’s apple will go down as the throat relax.
People can also press their tongue with their teeth and with their lips closed or pretend to chew in circular motions to release laryngeal tension.
How to overcome swallowing anxiety: Stretching the neck
Neck stretches may be beneficial for certain people. Relaxing the shoulders and following these steps can help:
- Hold a forward tilt of the head for ten seconds. Then re-position it in the middle.
- Hold the position of rolling the head to one side for ten seconds. Retrace your steps back to the center and repeat.
- Slightly raise the shoulders till they almost meet the earlobe, then lower them again. Then let go and breathe normally. This should be done five times.
People should cease stretching if they feel any discomfort while doing so.
How to overcome swallowing anxiety: Singing exercises
Before a performance, singers warm up their vocal cords to loosen any tension in the throat. Anxious persons who have stiff throat muscles may benefit from the same procedures.
Those who suffer from anxiety may find that singing provides a focus on which to direct their attention, which in turn helps to control their breathing.
Singing some fundamental scales, practicing vocal warming exercises, and humming can all be done in a quiet area if possible.
If you’re feeling down, you can sing a song that reminds you of happy memories.
Adults who sing in a chorus have lower levels of anxiety than those who don’t, according to small research of 33 adults from Brazil in 2019.
How to overcome swallowing anxiety: Other coping techniques for anxiety
This symptom is likely to be alleviated by methods that reduce anxiety in the individual who has it.
Anxiety and panic attacks can be relieved by following a few simple steps:
- The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) proposed that Anxiety can be relieved by tapping on different parts of the body. 90% of patients in one big study reported less anxiety after receiving EFT, compared to only 63% of those in a similar trial who underwent cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Taking a walk or jogging can help some people “burn off” their nervous energy while they’re feeling nervous. Walking, jogging, or running, as well as cardiovascular workouts such as jumping jacks, can all help people lose weight.
- Breathing exercises, meditation, and attentive activities, such as yoga, tai chi, and creative hobbies, are all ways to cultivate awareness.
The link between anxiety and throat tension
When people are anxious, their bodies react in various ways. A frequent symptom of anxiety is a tightening of the throat. People may have the following symptoms: a tight band around their throat, a lump in their throat, or a tight or strained voice.
The “fight, flight, or freeze” response is to blame for this. Anxiety and stress cause the body to prepare for combat. Stress hormones are released and the muscles are stiff in anticipation of a run or a battle.
Among the physical signs of anxiety are a quick heartbeat, shallow breathing, fidgeting and restlessness, feeling hot or sweaty, and other digestive symptoms.
In times of stress, it is normal to feel this way, as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains in their Trusted Source report. However, if a person suffers these symptoms on a regular basis, they may be suffering from a mental illness.
What if it does not go away?
Even when a person is no longer worried, they may still find it difficult to relax their throat muscles.
Globus pharyngeus is a condition that can cause people to feel as though they have a lump in their throat. There are several possible reasons for this, including but not limited to:
An ENT expert can assist in determining the source of this ailment.
When to seek help
If a person’s anxiety symptoms are interfering with their daily routine, they should seek the advice of a doctor or therapist.
in-person, phone, or video sessions are all options for therapy. If there are no therapists in your area or you can’t travel, you can still get therapy through this method.
Summary
Some people with anxiety may experience tightness or tension in their throats. Some simple mindfulness exercises may help people relax the throat muscles or reduce other symptoms of anxiety.
Relaxation can take time, however, making a habit of practicing relaxation techniques may help a person better respond to and manage how to overcome swallowing anxiety.
Some Important Questions you need to know
How Do I Stop overthinking when swallowing?
This sensory or sensorimotor addiction might be rooted in any physical activity or feeling that one pays attention to carefully. Many people worry that they would get obsessed with their swallowing if they begin to pay attention to it in such a selective way.
The first thing you should do if you’re experiencing difficulty swallowing is take a deep breath. Many people find that by simply taking a deep breath, they can de-stress and come to the realization that they are not choking on their meal at all. Try drinking some water to see if you can swallow it as well.
Can swallowing problems be caused by anxiety?
As a result of anxiety or panic episodes, a person may feel as though they are suffocating. Swallowing may become difficult for a short time as a result.
How do you relax your throat from anxiety?
- Hold a forward tilt of the head for ten seconds. Then re-position it in the middle.
- Hold the position of rolling the head to one side for ten seconds. Retrace your steps back to the center and repeat.
- Slightly raise the shoulders till they almost meet the earlobe, then lower them again. Then let go and breathe normally. This should be done five times.
Why do I feel like Im struggling to swallow?
An infection or a medication getting lodged in the esophagus are just a few of the many possibilities for why this can be happening. Allergies to foods or airborne allergens can also be responsible. Like GERD and Diverticula.
Also, read An article about Dysphagia.
