What could this jaw/throat issue be?

[Midlifecrisisxamillion]

Every now and again (a few times a year maybe) I get what feels like a pulled muscle in my jaw/throat. It is horrifically painful - more painful than anything else I've ever felt. At first it feels like it won't loosen it tightens up my throat which makes swallowing pretty much impossible. With some jaw stretches, rubbing and slow breathing to help with the pain it tends to go within a few minutes.

It's just happened again and it was so bloody painful. I'm ok now but what the heck is it? It doesn't happen with any pattern.

Cricopharyngeal dysfunction or oesophageal spasm? I've had this and it's very painful. Worth noting if there's any connection with what you eat/drink before it happens, time of day etc. Also, worth talking to your GP in case there's an underlying reason (it can be connected to GERD).
https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/cricopharyngeal-dysfunction

It could also be TMD if your jaw's involved - again worth talking to your GP: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tmd

That's what I initially googled and thought but it doesn't really fit. I don't feel like I food stuck for example and it doesn't happen when eating.

That's interesting. Maybe this fits better if you have sensations of tightening around the throat, it's a 'hypercontraction' of the upper oesophageal sphincter. In any case, worth chatting to your GP about!

https://www.healthline.com/health/cricopharyngeal-spasm

It feels like more than a tightening. You know agonising leg cramp in the middle of the night - well it feels like that at the front of neck/jaw.

That doesn't seem to fit either as it definitely doesn't feel like electrical pains shooting