Question
1.5 years ago, I started having problems with swallowing (followed by pretty acute neck pain).  Not all the time, but at least once a day there's an issue--and there's almost always tightness and a definite awareness of tightness in the throat, hyoid area, jaw area and neck.  There's more tightness than pain, and it moves around (sometimes more in front (throat), sometimes on side, sometimes in back/cranium area).  I also have a hard time yelling/singing--hitting the unusual octives. Sometimes feels like there's a lump in my throat.  I sleep pretty well and wake up well -- but as day progresses or I trip or do something to aggravate it (which is daily) there are symptoms.  (and aggravating it could be bending over to tie my shoe).  There's a constant pressure in throat/neck area and a consciousness of every swallow I take--and (as mentioned above) times unable to initiate the swallow.  I am a very active person. I've had to slow down my activities.  Past injuries which may or may not have contributed to this is:  when I was about 13 I dove into a lake (surface dive--water about 2 feet deep) and hit bottom.  No problems at all--ever.  I was also in a car accident (rear-ended) about two months before the problems started.  I've had an MRI of the neck and nothing significant showed up.  Any thoughts?  Could scar tissue be a contributing factor to this problem?

Answer
Beth -- not scar tissue, but reflexive muscular contractions, triggered by your previous incidents.

If you were my client, I would take you through a course of muscular control training to enable you to relax those muscles and to use them in a normal, coordinated way.

I don't know of any more direct way out of your predicament.

It's not the an MRI didn't show up anything significant; it's that the radiologist(s) who interpreted the films weren't looking for muscular contractions or or possess an understanding of the Trauma Reflex.

I'd like to refer you to an article that would elucidate your condition more, but I haven't written any that address your condition.  I'd suggest you get the book, Somatics, by Thomas Hanna (amazon.com).  Read up on the Trauma Reflex.

If you wish, I can advise you on a self-help program or direct you to practitioners.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold