What Causes a Clicking Sound in Your Throat?
Medically reviewed by Andre Stone | MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on August 25th, 2026.
A clicking sound in the throat may occur when the hyoid bone or laryngeal cartilage moves against nearby structures during swallowing or neck movement. The exact cause cannot always be determined without an examination. Other potential causes include muscle tension in the neck and throat area or inflammation of the throat tissues. Less commonly, clicking sounds can result from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders that affect the jaw and surrounding muscles. Throat clicking without other symptoms may be harmless, but clicking that persists, is painful, or occurs with difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, a neck lump, or throat pain should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. Seek urgent care for trouble breathing or an inability to swallow.
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