Don’t clear your throat casually, it will hurt if you clear it too much!

Do you have such people around you?

Before you speak,

Always make a "cough cough" or "hum~~" sound first

As if this is a necessary ritual

Sometimes even without speaking

Clear your throat too.

So why do we need to clear our throat so frequently?

What are the harms of this behavior?

Today is World Voice Day

Theme: Your voice is crucial

Focus on vocal health

Let's learn about the causes and dangers of throat clearing

And how to avoid clearing your throat

Take care of your voice

1. Why can’t I help but say “cough cough” or “hum~”

1. Nervousness

For example, during an interview or public speaking, due to tension and stress, you may unconsciously clear your throat and relax your throat muscles to relieve anxiety.

Studies have found that children's frequent throat-clearing behavior will intensify when they are emotionally nervous and decrease when they are concentrating. School phobia and cognitive pressure on grades will also intensify frequent throat-clearing behavior.

2. External environmental impact

Haze, flying catkins, dust and fumes will cause large particles in the air, which will irritate and damage the human respiratory tract, leading to throat discomfort and pain.

3. Bad living habits

Bad habits such as drinking too little water, smoking, drinking, staying up late, etc. can cause throat discomfort.

Drinking too little water will cause the throat mucosa to be dehydrated and the throat mucus secretion to decrease, which will lead to dry throat and discomfort. Tobacco contains many harmful substances, such as nicotine, benzene, formaldehyde, etc. These harmful substances will damage the throat mucosa and cause symptoms such as laryngitis and throat discomfort.

Drinking alcohol can cause inflammation of the throat mucosa, leading to symptoms such as throat discomfort and pain.

Staying up late for a long time will lead to a decrease in immunity, which can easily cause various diseases, including laryngitis, dry throat, etc.

4. Throat diseases

When suffering from throat diseases such as rhinitis, laryngitis, acute and chronic pharyngitis, etc., which will lead to pharyngeal secretion disorders, the discomfort will be relieved by clearing the throat.

The continued existence of throat inflammation or the adhesion of secretions on the mucosal surface can cause discomfort to the human body. The human body removes these "foreign substances" through the "throat clearing" action to relieve the discomfort.

5. Acute and chronic rhinitis, acute and chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis

Due to excessive nasal secretions, some of them flow back to the throat. A small amount of secretions may be swallowed unconsciously with our drinking, eating and other actions. However, there are still secretions that will irritate the throat mucosa and cause discomfort, thereby producing more secretions, and the human body eliminates the secretions through the "throat clearing" action.

2. Be aware of the dangers of clearing your throat!

Under normal circumstances, when we make sounds, the vocal cords on both sides are tightened, the glottis fissure becomes narrower, or even almost closed. The airflow rushing out from the trachea and lungs constantly impacts the vocal cords, causing vibrations. Under the control of the coordinated action of the muscles in the larynx, the glottis fissure is regularly controlled. The sound emitted by the larynx is the fundamental tone, which is enhanced and changed by the resonance of the pharynx, mouth, nose, sinuses, trachea and lungs, and becomes the sound that is heard. When clearing the throat, the vocal cords are instantly tightened, and the airflow in and out of the respiratory tract will violently vibrate the vocal cords, causing them to be damaged. Not only will the throat become more dry and itchy, but it will also induce diseases such as chronic pharyngitis.

1. Damage to vocal cords

The airflow vibrates the vocal cords violently, which can cause damage, aggravate vocal cord discomfort and cause hoarseness.

2. Cause vocal cord diseases

When clearing the throat, the air flow will impact the vocal cords. If it causes congestion and edema of the vocal cords, it will cause vocal cord nodules or vocal cord polyps. In severe cases, it may even lead to acute or chronic pharyngitis.

3. Damage to the throat mucosa

Repeated throat clearing will damage the protective layer of secretions attached to the surface of the throat, hurt the throat mucosa, and easily lead to acute or chronic pharyngitis.

3. How to avoid frequent throat clearing?

In order to avoid frequent throat clearing, we need to take better care of our throats. So, how can we do this? Here are some methods:

1. You can drink a big sip of water immediately and swallow it slowly. Try to choose warm water and stay away from hot or ice water.

2. Relieve discomfort by swallowing repeatedly or sticking out your tongue, or use exhaling instead of clearing your throat.

3. Wear a mask. Masks can filter dust, viruses, and bacteria in the air, thereby reducing irritation to the respiratory tract. Be sure to wear a mask when you go to places with serious air pollution (such as places with serious dust, car exhaust, haze, cigarette smoke, etc.), or when catkins and pollen are flying.

4. Try to breathe through your nose as much as possible on weekdays. Some people have the habit of breathing through their mouths, but frequent mouth breathing can easily cause dust, cold air, etc. to directly irritate the throat and induce pharyngitis.

5. If the throat clearing is too frequent, persists, or even gradually worsens, and is accompanied by other abnormal sensations in the throat, such as difficulty eating, slurred speech, pain, etc., you should seek medical attention in time. The first choice is the otolaryngology department. Through the electronic nasopharyngeal laryngoscope, you can clearly understand the conditions of the nasal cavity, pharyngeal cavity, laryngeal cavity and trachea, and make appropriate diagnosis and treatment for repeated "throat clearing".

Comprehensive from:

Healthy Road, Guokr, Communist Youth League Central Committee, Healthy Guangdong

References:

1. Pei Zhuo. Analysis of the causes of frequent throat clearing in 60 children[J]. Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2005(10):69-70.

2. Yan Haixia. Frequent throat clearing can damage the vocal cords and cause pharyngitis[J]. Family Medicine. Medical treatment and drug selection. 2021(01)28.

Source: "Tadpole Musical Notation" WeChat Official Account