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Original poster

Throat clearing

26 replies

Ilovewalks · 20/10/2020 14:56

I keep having to clear my throat so cough to clear it. It's not a cough as such but more I can feel phlegm in my throat. I've two children off due to being close contacts at activities and school and so natural quiet anxious. Neither child has any symptoms.
If we weren't in the middle of a pandemic I wouldn't even think anything of having to clear my throat.
I'm not going out with the children isolating but should I be trying to book a test now or leave it until tomorrow and see if it goes away?

OP posts:
Pootle40 · 20/10/2020 14:57

Throat clearing can be a physical symptom of anxiety

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 20/10/2020 15:03

Thanks pootle40, I am very anxious at the moment.
One child is due back to school Thursday the other isolating until Saturday.
I've not been out of the house for nearly two weeks and before that have only done the school run since September and work from home.

OP posts:
PowerslidePanda · 20/10/2020 15:05

A bit gross, but have you seen the colour of the phlegm? Green is an indication that your body is fighting something, whereas it's less likely if the phlegm is white or clear.

tootiredtospeak · 20/10/2020 15:09

My son 19 suffers with anxiety amd has had a sore throat ie needs to clear his throat about 400 times since March. I keep reminding him he didnt have COVID the other 399 times and on its own isnt a concern.

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 20/10/2020 16:27

PowerslidePanda, I'm coughing to clear it and swallowing it but will check.
tootiredtospeak thanks for the reply. I didn't realise how much I actually suffer with anxiety until recently. I'll try to tell myself its probably anxiety more than anything else.
I've probably cleared it about 10/12 times today and I'm finding I seem to be worse after eating.

OP posts:
Youandmeareluckytobeus · 20/10/2020 16:56

It might be worth looking up GERD as it happens after eating.

tootyfruitypickle · 20/10/2020 16:57

111 advice I'm told by relatives is that the cough is continuous - not the odd one here and there.

I'm constantly getting coughing fits out in public - I do think it's often anxiety related!

Pootle40 · 20/10/2020 17:22

I think it probably is anxiety if you are aware of feeling anxious. There are so many physical symptoms of anxiety it can get you imagining all sorts. I think I was anxious recently and had a feeling of a lump in my throat for a few days !

Inkpaperstars · 20/10/2020 18:35

I had to clear my throat a few times, very mildly indeed, a few days before I completely lost my sense of smell. I wasn't tested as too early back then. I read of several similar cases at the time. Just putting out there that a mild feeling of a tickle in the throat can be a sign of covid, but I am not sayign it is in your case at all as it is such a common everyday symptom.

Inkpaperstars · 20/10/2020 18:37

Ps. The thing is aswell with throat clearing that once you start thinking about it you become more aware of how the throat feels, clear it more, potentially irritate it more, and it gets to be a vicious circle.

AliciaMayEmory · 20/10/2020 18:41

DH has just tested positive and has coughed only about 5 times, due to a bit of a tickle in his throat. He had been clearing his throat for a bit when talking in online meetings a few days before the test and had a mild temp, runny nose etc, but never a full-on continuous cough. He said he feels symptom free now.

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 20/10/2020 20:55

Youandmeareluckytobeus thanks, going to try Gaviscon
tootyfruitypickle thanks, since starting this post I estimate I've coughed about 20 times but each cough is literally 10 secs or less.
Inkpaperstars will watch out for loss of smell and taste. I agree the more I'm thinking about it the more I seem to do it. I watched a movie with the children earlier and fell asleep and no disruptions to sleep from clearing throat so maybe it's happening more because I'm thinking about it.
AliciaMayEmory I will monitor how I go and inlight of your OH if no better tomorrow will see if I can get a test. Was your OH able to get a taste despite it being a tickle rather than full cough? Glad to hear he is feeling ok.

OP posts:
AliciaMayEmory · 21/10/2020 05:35

Yes, he never lost his sense of taste or smell.

Porcupineinwaiting · 21/10/2020 07:13

A hoarse voice and throat clearing were my Dh's chief COVID COVID symptoms- the good news is he had a very mild case. But throat clearing can be a sign on anxiety or other conditions like gerd.

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 21/10/2020 10:10

AliciaMayEmory sorry I meant was he able to book a test despite it only being a tickle?
Porcupineinwaiting thanks, I'm going to keep note again today but no clearing throat/cough throughout the night and none so far today. I didn't have a hoarse voice yesterday just lots of seconds coughs to clear my throat. Did your husbands symptoms progress in order for him to get a test as based on nothing so far today I don't think I would be eligible for a test.
I'm going to see what I'm like after eating and if that is the trigger.

OP posts:
Jrobhatch29 · 21/10/2020 10:19

I've had a sore throat, tight chest and throat clearing on and off for months. The GP gave me lanzoprazole incase it was caused by reflux which didn't help, and has since said its most likely from anxiety.

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 21/10/2020 10:35

Was just logging back on to say had my first throat clear cough of the day, literally a throat clear cough of few seconds. Logged onto 111 and filled in a survey and based on my answers been told it's unlikely covid and to drink lemon juice and honey with warm water.
So on that note unless I develop a full blown cough I assume I'm ok to send eldest child back to school tomorrow when her isolation finishes and after Saturday both girls can go out for a walk with me. I have no other symptoms yet, no fever, no loss od taste/smell, no headache, no tiredness, just wind
Jrobhatch29 thanks for replying. I do feel anxious at the moment with both children isolating so after 111 I'm assuming anxiety or reflux.

OP posts:
Aragog · 21/10/2020 12:22

DH has just tested positive and has coughed only about 5 times, due to a bit of a tickle in his throat. He had been clearing his throat for a bit when talking in online meetings a few days before the test

This.
I've recently tested positive. I didn't develop a cough until later in the day after having my positive result back.

Looking back with the gift of hindsight - I'd had a hoarse throat (not sore) and had been clearing my throat a bit due to a tickle at the back. I thought nothing of it as I'd had a bit of a cold, though no temperature, etc. As I teach I often get a dry throat anyway so it didn't feel out of the norm, and I wasn't clearing my throat to any extent. It hadn't been noticeable to others either.

A few days later - and after I tested positive (tested as routine hospital admission for another reason) - I did develop a full on cough. I still have that.

Ontopofthesunset · 21/10/2020 12:28

I had a throat clearing cough and post-nasal drip as one of my symptoms, which appeared a couple of days after I had a headache and lowgrade temp. I never developed a proper cough or any chest tightness and did lose my sense of taste and smell after about a week. But it can be a symptom, as others have said, of acid reflux, post-nasal drip/rhinitis/allergies, or anxiety as well. I was never tested positive as this was back in March but DH who was quite ill had a positive antibody test.

Original poster
Ilovewalks · 21/10/2020 13:31

Aragog thanks for the reply. Hope you are feeling better. I'm not eligible for a test at the moment with it not being a persistent cough and no other symptoms but might keep the eldest off Thursday and Friday incase it develops to a persistent cough rather than throat clearing.
Ontopofthesunset thanks, I actually have thought I had it back in feb and keep thinking of getting an antibody test. I can't remember whether I was coughing but slept most of a week with absolutely no energy and had a very sore throat and all achey.

OP posts:
Aragog · 21/10/2020 14:25

It's tricky isn't it?

I wasn't eligible for testing either. I was only tested as I was admitted to hospital for a different reason. Turns out they were complications due to COVID, but at the time no one knew that.

I'm getting there gradually, thank you.

EmeraldShamrock · 21/10/2020 16:46

I have an overwhelming feeling to clear my throat as soon as I enter a shop.
I try to repress it with watering eyes and a severe throat tickling.
There isn't always a cough with Covid19.

Porcupineinwaiting · 21/10/2020 16:55

@Ilovewalks no he never progressed to the point he would have been eligible for a test, even had they been available. He was "diagnosed" via me as I had classic long COVID and he got "sick" 10 days after I did.

NaturalLight · 21/10/2020 21:32

The coughing definition is open to interpretation, so I think if you want a test you could have one. So for example if you coughed to clear your throat (which I tend to do rather than just clearing it ), you would be meeting this bit of the definition “3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours“

AliciaMayEmory · 21/10/2020 22:03

AliciaMayEmory sorry I meant was he able to book a test despite it only being a tickle?

Yes, we interpreted his tickley cough as a new cough, along with his throat clearing he’d been doing. I know some wouldn’t have tested with this but I’m so glad he did as we were meant to visit my parents who are in their 70s this week with it being half term, and would probably have had a couple of days out, so we’ve stopped him spreading it at least. He’s feeling pretty much normal now. I’ve developed a cough and some muscle aches and so I’ve had a test today. I need to isolate until next Friday anyway, so doesn’t make much difference but would be good to know.

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