Re-Visiting My Fears Again

[StoneLeopard]

Hey all, long time no see. I was able to beat my fears for a good long while, but it seems like once a year every year, I go into full-on panic mode for several weeks/months. It's that time again...Lately I've been getting this rattling sound in my sinuses/upper throat when I talk. It's when I say certain sounds that involve opening and closing the soft palate - just before I close the palate or right after I open it, I hear a "wet" sound. For instance, if I were to say the word "ink," the transition from the "n" to the "k" would be met with this wet sound, like there's fluid rattling somewhere back there. Sometimes it's mucus, but often it happens right after I drink something. So my concern is that when I drink my soft palate is weak and therefore isn't closing 100% properly, so some small amount of water is creeping up behind my soft palate (which SHOULD be COMPLETELY closed during drinking) and is later causing wet rattling sounds when I talk after drinking. Don't know if this makes any sense. I visited an ENT last week who scoped me and said she didn't see any problems with the soft palate not closing properly, but (1) the angle of the camera lens wasn't all that great to capture a very small opening, and (2) what in the WORLD would explain this kind of rattling/vibrating/wet sound near my upper throat/soft palate/nasopharynx area when I talk?? Oh also I have noticed right after I take a couple bites of food, there's some fluid/mucus/something stuck in my upper throat, the kind that you have to "snort" to pull it down. Siiigh...going crazy with anxiety, hope someone can help, and so so glad this site and these people are all here. THANK YOU in advance.

 

[christinasgirl123]

I have heard a lot of people comaining about clicking, squishy or "wet" sounds of the soft palate here, as well as all kinds of sticky mucous feelings and stuff like that. Count me in and a lot of others.

 

[BFSDiner]

Part of anxiety is looking for things and discovering things that you thought were never there before. I always told myself I was too smart for that nonsense, but later realized that I do it too. This could be one of those things you just noticed and happens from time to time becuase of the shape and structure of your noggin. But you never paid attention before. For example - when you said it happens as you say "ink" .... i started saying ink out loud and guess what? Every time I said it, I had a little "crack" or "snap" noise somewhere from the inside of my head. Guarantee its been there 30 years, but I have never noticed it. And probably never would have if you hadn't mentioned it.

 

[Soupy27]

Of all the places that anxiety wreaks havoc upon, the gut and the throat are the most common. What you are describing sounds to me like classic anxiety borne out of hypervigilance. The sound you're hearing - the 'wet voice' phenomenon - may be one you've always had, but have only just noticed; it may be something very minor that you're exacerbating through increased awareness; or it may be something that your anxiety has actually willed into existence.Whatever the case may be, it doesn't sound like anything sinister whatsoever.

 

[TwitchyAz]

anxiety is a mean little devil...personally i dealt with throat\sinus issues in the past and they can play tricks on your mind. do you tend to eat fast and drink a lot of water?

 

[StoneLeopard]

hey guys,Thanks for the responses. I know it's definitely not in my mind - my wife hears it too. Not sure if I tend to eat/drink any faster than anyone else, but that shouldn't make a difference, right? The soft palate is supposed to form a seal with the posterior pharyngeal wall regardless... The ent just called and said they are scheduling me for a modified barium swallow, so hopefully that will tell me something :crying: