Can anxiety lead to throat gurgling?

This article will discuss if anxiety can lead to throat gurgling. It will explain what throat gurgling is, and why this can happen when you are anxious. Aside from that, the article will show the best ways for you to cope with it.

Can anxiety lead to throat gurgling? 

Yes, anxiety can lead to throat gurgling. This is also known as Aerophagia, which means that you will have swallowed too much air. Because of that, you may experience too much gas, or your stomach may be distended. It can also lead to pain that will go from your stomach to your chest, or abdomen.

The throat gurgling can often feel like there is a lot of air bubbling up in your throat, which can pressure it. And it may not only stay focused on your throat, sometimes you can feel it lower, in your esophagus, and it may even lead you to feel heartburn.

All those manifestations are related to throat gurgling, and they can all happen together, or one them at a time. They can be persistent or come and go. There can be people that will often experience their throat gurgling when they are anxious, and others that have never experienced this symptom.

It can happen whenever your anxiety gets more intense, or sometimes just happens all of the sudden. The intensity of it will also change from one person to the next, and even when it starts more intense, with time, it can become mild. But let’s understand a little more about why anxiety may cause you to experience throat gurgling.

Why does anxiety cause throat gurgling? 

The first thing that is important to highlight is that throat gurgling will come as a result of swallowing too much air. When you are anxious, your body will activate the fight or flight response, which will make your stress levels also go high. This will put your body through various changes.

One of the things it can do is to reduce the amount of saliva that is in your mouth, which will make you experience dry mouth. When your mouth gets dry, you will try to swallow more, which will cause you to have more air in your stomach.

Since anxiety acts differently in each person, some people may also experience more salivation when they are anxious, and this will also make them swallow more, and send more air into their stomach. 

But it is not all related to the amount of saliva you have. The throat gurgling can also happen because when you are anxious, you may need to gasp for air, and breathing through your mouth will make you swallow a lot of air. 

It can also happen that, when anxiety hits, your digestive enzymes will go low, and the hydrochloric acid will go high, which will make you hungry, giving you more saliva, and once again making you swallow more air.

Throat gurgling can also happen whenever you are experiencing hyperstimulation. This state talks about a feeling of perpetual stress. 

When you have momentary stress, your body will usually take some time to recover from it, but when it happens often, it doesn’t give your body the chance to recover, and this causes it to be in a state of hyperstimulation.

This can lead to many changes in your body, especially in your nervous system. Those can make the person swallow a lot more air, and cause the throat gurgling sensation. It can also be that, sometimes, if you are taking medication, it can make your anxiety symptoms worse, which may cause you to experience throat gurgling as well.

It can also happen when you behave in ways that can make you more anxious, for example when you eat or drink things, such as caffeine, or too much sugar, that can be stimulants; or if you have trouble sleeping. But let’s discuss the best ways for you to cope with the throat gurgling that is caused by anxiety.

How can I cope with throat gurgling caused by anxiety? 

If you experience throat gurgling as a symptom of anxiety, whenever it subsides, you may feel the symptoms will also improve. But if you are dealing with a situation of hyperstimulation, which means that you are constantly dealing with stress, you may need to manage the stress, and anxiety in your life.

To manage the anxiety in your life it may be important to look for professional help. Having a therapist to talk about that will help you understand the anxiety patterns, triggers, and maybe even its roots, which will allow you to take yourself out of those situations, and give your body the chance to recover.

In some cases, when anxiety is too intense, it may be important to look for a psychiatrist as well, so they can assess if you must take medication. Caring for what you eat, and drink, so you don’t ingest things that will be even more stimulant is also important.

Exercising can be a powerful tool in reducing your stress levels, and even improve your overall sense of well-being. In the same way, taking some time to do things that you enjoy, can also make you feel less tense.

If you feel you need to slow down, meditation or breathing exercises can give you some time to focus more on yourself, your breathing, and the moment. By having those activities in your life, you may begin to feel, with time, that you are calmer.

If you experience anxiety, and throat gurgling too often, it is only by managing this hyperstimulation that you will be able to reduce the intensity of the symptoms, and those may not even happen from one moment to the next, but it may take some time until your body fully recovers. But as it does, you will surely begin to feel better.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Can anxiety lead to throat gurgling? 

How can I prevent Aerophagia? 

If you want to prevent aerophagia, there are many things you can do. Eating calmly, in a more relaxed manner, and not in a hurry can help. Still, while you are eating, you should try to take smaller bites, and don’t sip too much liquid at once. When chewing, try to do it slowly, and eat with your mouth closed.

It may also be important for you to avoid talking while you are eating. You should also keep an eye on what you are ingesting and prevent from taking carbonated beverages, sucking in hard candy, and chewing too much gum. If it is possible, you should also avoid smoking.

Aside from that, you should also work towards improving your stress levels, and dealing with anxiety. So having a calmer life, in which you eat healthily, sleep well, exercise, and have activities you can turn to whenever you are stressed are also important.

What are the most common symptoms of anxiety? 

Anxiety can lead the person to experience many symptoms. They can be physical, and emotional, and the intensity and frequency in which they happen can change from one person to the next. 

But commonly, a person with anxiety would feel that their heartbeats are getting faster, and their breathing as well, which can sometimes even become shallow.

The condition can also lead the person to experience sweating, shaking, tremors, and numbness in their hands or feet. It can also affect the person’s gastrointestinal system, and change their sleeping pattern causing them to experience insomnia. 

On the emotional side, it can be that anxiety can make the person constantly worry about something, making it harder for them to relax. It is also possible that anxiety will make the person afraid because they feel like the worst is about to happen to them.

It can also make it harder for you to focus on other things aside from the situation you are worried about. And this is something that may be difficult for you to control. With time, since anxiety can become so uncomfortable to you, it can make you avoid being in situations that can trigger it.

Is there a cure for anxiety?

No, there is no cure for anxiety. That is because there is a genetic predisposition to developing the condition which can’t be changed, even if the person goes through treatment. But what you should know is that it is possible to treat anxiety.

And through that, your symptoms will become less intense, and you will likely be able to live your life without it. What you should keep in mind is that even though you may be feeling better, it is still important that you care for your mental health as a way of preventing a relapse.

What are the types of anxiety?

There are many types of anxiety, and they differ from one another in what will trigger the person’s anxiety. For example, social anxiety can cause you to feel anxious whenever you see yourself in a social situation. It will often make you fear how others will perceive, and judge you.

Aside from that, there are phobias, which is a form of anxiety that is triggered by one specific matter, for example, heights. Separation anxiety is a form of anxiety that often happens to children when they fear they will be left by their loved ones.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a form of anxiety that will cause you to feel anxious even doing routine activities. There is also panic disorder, which often leads the person to develop panic attacks. Those are described as an intense and sudden rush of anxiety.

Is anxiety all in my head?

No, anxiety is not all in your head. Although some people may think that, and will often say that you just needed to think of something else, or even that you are being way too dramatic, you should know that anxiety is real, it is a serious condition, that one can’t control.

The fears and concerns anxiety brings you can often be more intense than they need to be in reality, but still, it doesn’t mean that what you are feeling isn’t real. And if anybody puts those matters into question, you may want to remind yourself how anxiety makes you feel.

Remember it affects you in many ways. It changes your heartbeat, and even how you breathe, so something that has this effect on you is very real.

Conclusion  

This article explained why anxiety can lead you to experience throat gurgling, and why this happens. It also showed the best ways for you to cope with it.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/symptoms/esophagus-problems

Anxiety Aerophagia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, FAQ