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Sore throat/voice issue - does this sound like TMS?

L

Logan Cale

Peer Supporter
I keep getting a weird thing where I feel like I have a sore throat and when I speak my voice sounds hoarse or gravelly to me. However when I speak everyone says my voice sounds normal, when to me it doesn't sound right. I have recorded my voice and I am convinced it will sound hoarse, but when I play it back it sounds fine - strange!

Everything else sounds fine to me, so it can't be my hearing.

I think it's TMS just wondering what everyone else things?

Things which make me think it's TMS

1. I am a teacher and use my voice a lot so it makes sense TMS would target my voice
2. It always seems worse on a Friday or Saturday (yes end of working week, but is there if I do fewer or more hours)
3. If I think about it too much and worry then it seems worse
4. I have had a history of other TMS problems i.e leg pain, foot pain, ankle pain, shoulder pain etc
5. I did visit a doctor a while ago and they said they couldn't see anything obvious

Thanks!
 
Yes! This is a symptom I have on and off. If you think to much about it and it gets worse...that's always a great sign it's TMS, and you are creating tension and stress.
I totally ignore the physicality of this symptom and immediately wonder what is going on psychologically. What do I want to say that I am having a hard time expressing.
 
Cactusflower said:
What do I want to say that I am having a hard time expressing.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your quick reply, much appreciated. I can think of lots of things I want to say but don't know how to express them. Most of the things are negative things and I don't know how to say them in a nice way (people pleasing/goodist) Time to do some journaling about what I really want to say...
 
Logan Cale said:
Time to do some journaling about what I really want to say...
Click to expand...
My all-time favorite tool for this is the Unsent Letter. It's written to just one person, and it's sent to the shredder. Putting it in an addressed envelope before it goes to the shredder could be a nice bit of finality. It doesn't matter who the person is or even if they are still alive. It's very powerful and very freeing.
 
PS - are you aware that the "experts" on journaling (people like Nicole Sachs and Dr. David Hanscom) advise that you not keep an actual journal? Throwing out what you write gives you a lot more freedom to be truly honest.
 
Cactusflower said:
Yes! This is a symptom I have on and off. If you think to much about it and it gets worse...that's always a great sign it's TMS, and you are creating tension and stress.
I totally ignore the physicality of this symptom and immediately wonder what is going on psychologically. What do I want to say that I am having a hard time expressing.
Click to expand...
I started getting something like this - feels like imgetting a sore throat from a cold. But no cold comes. Then I actually get pain on one side of throat when I swallow (saliva or food it does it still ) - could that be TMS I wonder
 
Logan Cale said:
1. I am a teacher and use my voice a lot so it makes sense TMS would target my voice
2. It always seems worse on a Friday or Saturday (yes end of working week, but is there if I do fewer or more hours)
Click to expand...
Hi @Logan Cale,
These two parts stand out for me.
Nice insight that TMS is going to target a vulnerability with consequences. In this case, job performance gets put in jeopardy. Classic TMS, right?! Throw a monkey wrench into things with very particular symptom(s).
And, the getting worse on Fri/Sat. is very interesting because you've already gotten through the week for the most part. Not sure on that.

A history of TMS, combined with being cleared by a doctor and the fact that the hoarseness isn't showing up externally (to you when you play a recording of your voice or to others) seem to completely point to TMS.

When (not if :) ) you get past this, you should post a success story! Because others are going to come to the forum with this kind of situation. It's a different kinda one--with the symptoms being perceived, but they're also not really there.

Be well!!
 
Hello! I had pain while speaking and chronic sore throat for around 8 months total. This was triggered after screaming.

I found the mind body space 3 months in and started finally getting better quickly. I significantly improved in another 3 months and I’m now 100% back to “normal” with my throat
 
Logan Cale said:
I keep getting a weird thing where I feel like I have a sore throat and when I speak my voice sounds hoarse or gravelly to me. However when I speak everyone says my voice sounds normal, when to me it doesn't sound right. I have recorded my voice and I am convinced it will sound hoarse, but when I play it back it sounds fine - strange!

Everything else sounds fine to me, so it can't be my hearing.

I think it's TMS just wondering what everyone else things?

Things which make me think it's TMS

1. I am a teacher and use my voice a lot so it makes sense TMS would target my voice
2. It always seems worse on a Friday or Saturday (yes end of working week, but is there if I do fewer or more hours)
3. If I think about it too much and worry then it seems worse
4. I have had a history of other TMS problems i.e leg pain, foot pain, ankle pain, shoulder pain etc
5. I did visit a doctor a while ago and they said they couldn't see anything obvious

Thanks!
Click to expand...


Hi Logan,

I totally relate to all you have said. I have had ‘so called’ fibromyalgia and a whole host of other chronic symptoms for 15+ years.

I’ve been on my recovery journey for a fair few years and some new persistent symptoms I’ve had are - chronic leg fatigue/pain & chronic sore throats/frequent colds.

I am also a teacher, but decided to leave full time teaching in 2022 and move to supply or cover teaching because it would allow me flexibility.

I now only work 2 or 3 days a week, but after every work day I am close to losing my voice or feel very under the weather.

I feel like it’s the symptom imperative at work and TMS knows that I rely on my voice. I also joined a choir last year because I love to sing, but had to leave as I kept getting sore throats.

It sounds to me like your issue is also TMS. Have you found any solutions for it? I’ve been trying to visualise my throat and body as healthy & also not engage too much with the sore throat symptoms but find it tricky when I have to use my voice so often.

Hope you are well and your symptoms have improved.

Natalie
 
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