<p>I have an odd question - can the expression “getting choked up” be taken literally? I was at a funeral today and felt this, and this is not the first time this has happened. As I struggled to hold back some tears, I felt my throat really constrict up and it was difficult to inhale. It momentarily panics me and I have to try to relax and let my throat relax. This happens when I get emotional and on the verge of tears.</p>
<p>It is not a lump in the throat sensation, it is almost like the larynx or something in that area gets so tight it doesn’t open. Exhaling is okay usually.</p>
<p>I am guessing this is nothing but an emotional response and I just need to learn to relax more or something. But it does give me a little flash of panic for an instant whenever it happens. Anybody else react this way?</p>
<p>This happens to me sometimes. It doesn’t typically make it hard to breathe, just uncomfortable to swallow-- a lump in your throat. I wonder if you felt the lump in your throat and panicked, and that was why you felt it was hard to breathe-- not actually because your airway was constricted.</p>
<p>Actually, stress can cause the vocal chords to constrict and limit one’s air flow. Look up vocal chord dysfunction for more information. The good news is people rarely if ever die from this condition.</p>
<p>Vocal cords aren’t strings like on a guitar, they are flaps of skin-like tissue that open and close with muscle contraction. It makes sense that they might constrict with deep emotion. I know mine change their vibration waaaaay out of sync with how upset I am. I sound on the verge of crying when I’m only moderately unhappy. I don’t like it but I have accepted that its just the way my body works.</p>
<p>Yes, that is a very real thing. The vocal cords close when they shouldn’t. It can be brought on by emotion or stress. It is call Vocal Cord Dysfunction or VCD and the good news is that it can be treated with relaxed breathing exercises.</p>
<p>Interesting comments, thanks. I have no asthma or other issues, never have. I do have very sensitive vocal cords perhaps, because I often get a laryngospasm if I accidentally swallow even a drop of liquid “the wrong way” and I occasionally get night laryngospasms which are very scary but I have learned to manage by breathing in slowly with pursed lips.</p>
<p>shyanne - interesting point about “letting it out” because by the end of the funeral I could not hold back the tears and had a couple of good sobs and I had no throat tightening, I guess because I was letting go and not tensing all those muscles.</p>
<p>I read about VCD as suggested - what an unusual condition and not very well understood. I can see if you had it ongoing while exercising it may present as asthma or something. In my case, it is truly very quick, perhaps because I am quick to try to relax the muscles.</p>
<p>I have noticed that I will avoid a sad movie or other emotional settings if I don’t want to be bothered with this sensation, and that is not always possible. Unfortunately I know I will continue to have to go to funerals :(</p>