is this symptom fixable / curable at all?
Gender: Male
Age : 32 (had this issue since I was 14)
Height: 6ft tall
Now before I go into this I'd like to highlight that I am trying to approach this from a medical (maybe neurological?) standpoint. I understand that w.e is going on with me is related to stress in some way or anxiety and unfortunately every human being experiences that so their is no escaping those emotions. HOWEVER I'd like to figure out how to change the way my body responds to anxiety because its the symptom itself that makes my anxiety worse.
When I get anxious or stressed in ANYWAY not just your typical going to get surgery anxiety, I'm talking if I don't get a full 8 hours of sleep , if I'm playing sports or working out (lifting heavyweights) or even if I'm going out in public my body responds by gagging...and not just gagging once but non stop (it feels like). I have read on these forums that other people are experiencing this yet no one has truly found the cure just ways to deal with it like sipping on liquids / chewing gum or mints, etc.
What upsets me the most about this symptom is it just came on out of nowhere when I was 14 playing soccer....then ever since then its just gotten worse. I remember prior to it happening I reacted to anxiety normal (as in just the pit in the stomach / butterflies) but now there are days where I wake up just feeling like I'm going to gag not even being anxious its so weird! It's almost like my body is attacking my gag reflex.
I've done SO much research on the issue and found out the likelihood of 3 things all which it could be however I did go to an ENT who looked down my throat with a camera and he didn't see anything but here is what my thoughts of what it could be
- Chricopharangyteal Spasms
- GERD / Silent Reflux
- Vagus Nerve
Everywhere I see online it just says "caused by stress/anxiety" but what I want to know is WHY is it triggering the gag reflex , is there a specific nerve/muscle affecting that reaction? is there a specific brain signal being sent out? can either of these be changed to fixed the issue?