Throat Tightness and Ear Pressure: Possible Causes & Relief

Question
Dear Robert,
I have had this strange full of air feeling from my throat up into my ears that seems hot and puffs out of my ears,the muscles across my throat under my chin pull real tight and I feel like I am going to choke they are so tight.
I get a jagged prickled feeling in the tonsils that makes it hard to swallow and I feel like i am going to choke. the muscles up the sides of my throat go real tight as well and they feel swollen around my neck.Also i do not have any sinus problems but then this full air feeling across from nose to ears then makes me feel smothery and i have to then move my jaws and make a sqelching sound in that area to get the air to move and be able to breath properly.
is it possible for the sternacleidamastoide muscles to swell and push in on the throat ,the oesphogus and tonsils?this feeling seems to come from the mastoid area as well as from the throat and ears.
Any thing that you may be able to explain would be much appreciated. I get scared by the smothery feeling that this air feeling gives me and the non ventilating of the air,it is like everything goes tight and then i have trouble and have to move the jaws to get any relief.Thank you  

Answer
If these symptoms are longstanding, it sounds like "globus" where the muscles tighten up and it feels like you are strangling, a lot associated with stress/nerves, kind of like a panic attack with the neck/throat muscles.  I don't know if that applies to you, but, these symptoms clearly warrant a good eval by your primary doc, including thyroid tests.

Hope this helps...