Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Desert_Rose on 05/01/2006 23:21:42

Title: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: Desert_Rose on 05/01/2006 23:21:42
I have felt repeatedly as though my throat were “shutting down” after having had Surgery both times in 2005.  I had the urgency to cough, which I did each time it occurred, for the longest time even after I returned home.  I expected my throat to be sore from having a tube down.

Not for phlegm, not for a cold, not for sinuses, not because it was dry, not because of a tickle.....

I'm really curious

Joanne
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: Desert_Rose on 11/01/2006 19:55:54
Hmmmm....lets see if I can narrow the field...
In the movies, you see a wounded hero on a hospital bed being tended to by a (pretty, of course) doctor or nurse and the hero coughs for no apparent reason....ie in X-men the movie where "Wolverine" is being checked by "Doctor Jean Grey" after the big fight the last few minutes of the movie.
Hopefully this helps enough for a response
Joanne
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: neilep on 11/01/2006 20:13:25
Come on peeps...respond to Joanne !!..

Dear Joanne...I don't know the reason , I can't even speculate (well I can but in such an abstract way that it's borderline nonsense !!)...I hope that a passing ' throat closing down expert ' calls in to comment.

I hope you're well on your way to a full recovery.

Neil


Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: another_someone on 11/01/2006 20:48:00
This is really something I know nothing about (so when did that ever stop me [:D]).

Assuming the op had nothing to do with lungs or throat, I would be tempted to point an accusing finger at the general anaesthetic.
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: Desert_Rose on 11/01/2006 22:22:34
Thanks Neil, another_someone

The Ops were Hysterectomy in Feb and Apendectomy in Sept.  Happened both times, & lasted for about a month each.
I did have a "rough throat" from being intubated, throat lozenges solved the rough but never addressed the "shutting" feeling.
Still hopeful for an answer
Joanne
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: another_someone on 12/01/2006 00:24:29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intubation
quote:

in comatose or intoxicated patients who are unable to protect their airways. In such patients, the throat muscles may lose their tone so that the upper airways obstruct or collapse and air can not easily enter into the lungs. Furthermore, protective airway reflexes such as coughing and swallowing, which serve to protect the airways against aspiration of secretions and foreign bodies, may be absent. With tracheal intubation, airway patency is restored and the lower airways can be protected from aspiration.



It seems the intubation might have been in part a response to a collapse of the airways.
Title: Re: Why does your throat “shut down”?
Post by: Desert_Rose on 12/01/2006 07:18:30
Thank you, another_someone

That kind of makes sense given the fact that I have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Everytime I relax as in trying to sleep, my throat closes completley.  Only it "announced itself" during recovery from surgery and after.
Joanne.