# What could this noise in the back of my throat be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542 "2004-01-09T01:25:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pepsi\_Classic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pepsi\_Classic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pepsi_Classic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/1 "2004-01-09T01:25:24Z")
When I wake up in the morning and I am still half asleep I can hear this noise in the back of my throat. The best I can describe the noise is sort of the noise of a knuckle cracking. It sort of feels like that, too. I am really sure of anything this could be. It happens everyday but only when I am still half asleep. The sound only happens when I sort of swallow. I aware of swallowing and know it will result in the cracking but being half asleep I really concentrate of it. I can’t do this while awake. My best guesses are: 1. Totally imagining it 2. Dream 3. The cracking noise is in my ears. If I swallow hard enough I can create a cracking-like noise in my ears. However, it doesn’t create the same feeling in my throat and it not nearly as loud. 4. Combination of the above. So does anybody know what’s going on? ---
**Author:** ![Pepsi\_Classic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pepsi\_Classic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pepsi_Classic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/2 "2004-01-09T04:33:11Z")
Actually, the sound is more in the roof on my mouth/throat. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/3 "2004-01-09T04:43:58Z")
Sounds like the loud pop sometimes created by snoring. My mom can make pops like this so loud she wakes herself up from a deep sleep. Love ya mom ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/4 "2004-01-09T15:30:26Z")
It’s not a _gollum gollum_ sort of gurgling noise, is it … ? ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/5 "2004-01-09T16:45:45Z")
That would be the infamous ‘Death Rattle’. … oh, wait… (rereads OP) That would be the infamous ‘Death Crackle’. When you get start hearing _snap_ and _pop_… get your spoon ready. ---
**Author:** ![Pepsi\_Classic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pepsi\_Classic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pepsi_Classic)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-this-noise-in-the-back-of-my-throat-be/223542/6 "2004-01-09T20:25:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Sounds like the loud pop sometimes created by snoring. > > My mom can make pops like this so loud she wakes herself up from a deep sleep. Do you know what causes this pop? Is it a single pop? Becuase mine is more a string of pops (crackle).