Question
----DEAR LAWRENCE
it's so hard to believe that muscles can cause  so much agony and fear
i guess you are the only one who can help me as i have had no success with finding answers

any information would be appreciated
helen---------------------
Followup To
Question -
need some help here
have recently been having some problems with ears..nose and throat...I have had this strange prickling burning feeling in my throat and right ear and have had what feels like a tearing feeling in the muscles that come from around the back of throat down side of throat...it makes me feel as though there is something not moving in this area...
I have heard the tensor tympani and tensor levi palatini muscles mentioned in connection with the eardrum and e/tubes...what ever this burning prickly sensation is, it affects me to the point that I feel like  my breathing is being affected ...a closed off non ventilating feeling that makes me feel smothery...i can still breath ok but i feel somehow that this is coming from the tearing feeling in the muscle and it affects my balance to a degree ...been to ent who says all ok but this still this cutting feeling in ear and throat.
Any information would be appreciated i also get where i have to move my mouth and breath air out and this makes my ear squelch and its like muscles of neck are pulling on ears and opening e/tubes and letting air gush noise in throat
i have seen a lot of peaple clear their ears this way by moving their jaw instead of holding their nose...my hubby does it after being up in the mountains he moves his jaw to unblock his ears but he does not get the tight pulled muscles i get...it also feels like my jaw is affecting my sinuses
and the back of tonsil on right side feels pulled
what could this be..i had throat scan and nasal endoscope that said i had sinus but otherwise clear
thank you helen


Answer -
Helen,

There are muscles that run down the back of the throat and up to the eustachian tubes.  Sounds like yours might be in spasm.  (These tight muscles also contribute to the soreness of sore throat and when a person has chronic sinus trouble, learning to relax those muscles has been found to trigger sinus drainage immediately.)

You may need to gain better voluntary control of those muscles.  I can probably help with that kind of muscular control training; I don't know of others who have proficiency in reaching that area, though you might try.  See the Practitioners link at somatics.com and query whomever you locate with the specifics of your condition.

Otherwise, I'm probably it.

Learn more about the approach at somatics.com (which also has my bio and letters of reference).

Lawrence Gold


Answer
Dear Helen,

The best option is to see me or a somatics practitioner proficient in dealing with that area of the musculature (I practice in Santa Fe, NM; other practitioners can be found by visiting somatics.com and clicking the Practitioners link.)

The next best option would be to do a movement pattern called, "spine waves," which is presented in the audio-instructional program, Free Yourself from Back Pain.  That movement pattern retrains the tension pattern maintained by the muscles of the throat, neck and spine.

If you want a preview of that program, send blank email to [email protected] and instructions for getting the preview will be returned to you by email.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold