Stiff tense throat when running

Newbie

Hi there,

I just started getting back in to running recentely doing 4-5km runs. I am noticing this problem more apparently now that whenever start running for more than 5 minutes, i notice that my throat muscles tense up really badwhen breathing during running get REALLY TENSE when breathing, and its really bothering me, no matter what enviroment temperature I am running in. Has anyone had this problem before or have heard of it? Its really bothering me. Are there any excerices or anything I can do to remedy this problem?

Thanks,

Henry

PS: I tried to search for a thread containing this subject but the search function isnt working for me.

Frightened Inmate #2

my boys could swim

I'm no help here, never experience this, or had a runner who complained of this either.

dunno

Oompa Loofah

To be honest, I find that happens when I am bottling up emotions and I get really tense. Happens when running too.

Maybe some sort of relaxation technique you could adapt while running? I know during a race it might be impossible, but that's the only thing that works for me.

Something like a deep breath, hold it for a bit, and then slowly release it. And repeat, without passing out. (Ok, I am a sloooow runner, but this works for me)

Newbie

this happens when you have a build up of spit inside you, every time a large amount is made it gets stuck in your throat leaving you tense, this means that when you run you are not realeasing your spit which leaves a build up. Cool

Oompa Loofah

Member

I always always ALWAYS run with a throat candy like Herbon or Ricola in my mouth. I breath through my mouth and the back of my throat gets dry and tense and then I weeze. I was actually misdiagnosed with asthma for my childhood and much of my adult life when in fact it's just a reaction to not breathing through my nose during cardio.

*Anything with the herb thyme in it relaxes your throat muscles and opens your airways.*

Newbie

Hey I have had the same problem that you are describing for over 3 years now without realizing what it is, I was misdiagnosed with asthma and given up on as 'unfit' even though I ran 2 or more times every day, when I finally went to an ear nose and throat doctor who thought I may have VCD (Vocal Chord Dysfunction) and sent me to a specialist at Texas Childrens Hospital where I was diagnosed with it, the specialist taught me a new way to breath when I ran which seems to have helped, I only started the treatment a couple of weeks ago and it is a big task to change the way I breathe but I am determined. She told me to breath in for 3 seconds as if I were sucking on a straw and to breathe using my diaphragm, and then to breathe out for 4 seconds through my teeth, making it harder to breath out and therefore opening up my throat so that I can breath in again. The cycle speeds up as you start to run though. VCD is not a well known condition and is very common as well as very commonly misdiagnosed as asthma and other things. People who get it can be tense people on a regular basis, perfectionists, people who worry a lot or worry about their running problem, and people who run tensely for any other reason. I hope this helped, I wish someone had made me aware of this a long time ago!

Good Luck

Stiff tense throat when running

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