Gurgling in throat: 4 Causes, 7 Remedies, Prevention, Outlook

Often it becomes very embarrassing when you have gurgling in throat during candlelight moments, office meetings, meals and other important assignments. It sounds like popping of soda bottle in the water.

This sound is so annoying, and you may often think about getting rid of it. In most cases, this sound is not because of any serious health issues and is completely harmless. The only problem is the embarrassment it causes.

However, you may think and realize that something is not right in your body. So it is better to have a good understanding of the gurgling in throat. What are the general causes behind such sound and what are the possible natural home remedies you may consider.

Sometimes people get frightened after experiencing gurgling sound in their throat as they found it difficult to find the reason behind it. But in most cases, there is nothing to worry, and the reason behind the gurgling sound is harmless.

There is no need to give much attention to this annoying situation. The gurgling sound in your throat is often similar to the sound of the flow of water through any bottle. It is like feeling a gurgle in your stomach that causes a bubbling sound. This can happen to anyone irrespective of age and sex with children and adults affected equally.

There may be several factors because of which symptoms of gurgling sound from your throat can take place. There can be associated symptoms as well along with the gurgling or rumbling sound like nausea, burning sensation in throat etc.

Such symptoms help in the diagnosis of the actual cause of the gurgling sound. It is always easier to treat any disease when the underlying cause is evident. So it is essential to understand the real reason behind the frequent gurgling in throat.

The main reasons that may lead to a gurgling in throat:

It is quite common to have a gurgling in throat, and many individuals have faced this annoying problem. Most of us have experienced such situation at some point in our life.

Mucus blockage:

This type of sound often results from congestion in our throat that usually results from the blocking of the air flow in our nose because of mucus formation. Nose blocking due to mucus usually causes snorting or snuffling sound, which is a typical gurgling sound we hear in our throat.

Acid reflux:

The gurgling in throat can also have been if you have a cough with expectoration. This type of a cough produces a lot of mucus that may contribute to the gurgling in throat. Another common reason behind gurgling sound in the throat is the acid reflux from your stomach.

This is a condition where some portion of the contents present in our gut is pushed upward into the esophagus, which is the pipe that carries food into the stomach. When gastric content reaches the lower part of the esophagus due to acid reflux, you may experience a gurgling sound coming out from your throat.

Usually, in normal circumstances, re-entry of food into the esophagus after it already went inside the stomach is prevented by a sphincter present at the lower end of your esophagus. Acid reflux happens only when your sphincter becomes incompetent and fails to do its job.

Weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter makes it impossible to prevent the ingested foods to come back inside the lower esophagus. So in such circumstances, gastric content that already has been ingested may revert into the esophagus.

Sometimes such content can reach up to your throat and even inside your mouth. When this content is going through your throat, some gurgling sound can take place particularly if you are in a bending or supine position (lying down).

Foreign body in throat:

Gurgling or croaking sound in your throat may be a warning sign that something got stuck inside your throat. So it is advisable to investigate the cause of gurgling in throat whenever you hear it. If you have a history of swallowing a different kind of foreign bodies, then you should take the gurgling in throat mode seriously.

Always keep this in mind if you hear such sound coming out of the throat of any children. Gurgling sound can also come out from your throat in case you are trying to repress emotions. But only think of this cause when all the other reasons are successfully excluded.

The gurgling sound coming out of your throat is not very common like the rumbling sound that takes place inside your stomach. So, individuals often get frightened after experiencing this annoying gurgling sound coming out of their throat. Most of the reasons for such sound as discussed above are nothing serious.

Pharyngitis or Laryngitis:

Accumulation of expectoration in your throat can make rumbling sounds as well. Chronic laryngitis and pharyngitis can also result in gurgling noise in your throat.

This is because such conditions make the bone present in your voice box to be inflamed causing a gurgling noise while swallowing. You may also feel some irritation and some lumpy sensation in your throat when you are suffering from laryngitis or pharyngitis.

Accumulation of expectoration and acid reflux problems are the primary causes of gurgling in throat. Gurgling or rumbling noise can be experienced when you have a patulous auditory tube. However, choking is the common cause of gurgling sound among children.

Prevention of gurgling in throat and possible treatments:

Usually, gurgling in your throat does not last for long and go away after some time on its own. But individuals often get annoyed or embarrassed because of this unusual situation particularly when it happens in front of others.

If you are suffering from gurgling in throat repeatedly and the incident is happening quite often, then you need to take care and control the problem. It is essential to understand the underlying cause of gurgling in your throat.

Steam Inhalation:

For instance, if the gurgling in throat is due to the accumulation of expectoration you need to take medication to control and treat your cough. You can take steam inhalation to loosen the accumulated sputum in your throat region.

Changing lifestyle habits:

There are other symptoms associated when gurgling in throat is happening because of acid reflux. These symptoms are a burning sensation in the chest region as well as in your throat. The symptoms may vary according to the meals taken and the posture you are maintaining.

If you are having a persistent problem of gurgling in throat, then you should consider changing your food habit as well as lifestyle. Try to avoid alcohol, aerated drinks and spicy foods to minimize the occurrence of this annoying problem. Cigarette smoking may also aggravate this issue, and thus it should be avoided.

Changing the lifestyle and eating habit will minimize the chance of acid reflux. Similarly, avoid certain postures that promote acid reflux like bending too often. Keep your head at the height of 6 inches from the horizontal position when you are lying down preferably in a supine or left the lateral position.

The gurgling in throat in most cases are not persistent and is a temporary condition. Medical attention is only needed if the sound lasts for long and its occurrence is quite frequent. You no need to understand the cause of such sound at first. As already mentioned there may be different causes contributing to the gurgling in throat.

Getting rid of phlegm in throat:

It is essential to correctly pinpoint the exact reason that is causing the sound in your case to resolve the issue. So if you have gurgling sound because of expectoration accumulated from coughing, then you need to take medicines to expel the sputum out of your system.

Food habits:

If the reason is acid reflux then taking light food made with less oil and less spicy food can solve the problem.

Sleep and posture modification:

Another vital aspect of controlling the gurgling in throat is to take adequate sleep and keep a specific posture while sleeping. Try to maintain a slightly elevated posture during your sleep. This posture helps to prevent acid reflux.

Alcohol reduction:

Consider minimize intake of alcohol and try to quit smoking as both are a possible irritant for your pharynx and throat.

Exercise:

Regular exercise in a moderate quantity such as walking for 30 minutes has been proved beneficial.

If the sound is due to the foreign body getting stuck in your throat, then call for emergency immediately as the required treatments can provide in healthcare centers only.

Outlook:

The gurgling in throat can be frightening for you. However, the reasons behind the touch sound in most cases are harmless. It is, of course, an annoying and embarrassing experience mainly when it happens in front of others but usually nothing serious.

The gurgling sound in the throat is also not very common while the same sound coming from your stomach is quite common. It can happen to individuals irrespective of age and sex, and if persists it is advisable to take medical advice.

It can become a medical emergency if the gurgling sound is because of foreign bodies getting stuck in your throat.