Every once in awhile it feels as if my throat is closing up and my tongue is swelling up. When this happens, it is hard to breathe and swallow. I have no other symptoms or pain. It happens at different times and can wake me up from sleep. Today, I'm experiencing it and have no idea why. Could caffeine cause this? Or something in food? I went to a doctor, and she told me that she never heard of such a thing and gave me Benadryl to take whenever I experience these problems. I am really concerned, but I don't know what type of doctor to go to.

K.D.

You need to find a doctor who HAS heard of such a thing. An ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) would certainly be familiar with this problem.
The medical term for this condition is angioedema. In the most typical form of this condition, something triggers swelling of the mouth, tongue, soft palate, floor of mouth, and even the throat and voice box. If severe, it can result in suffocation.

What triggers the swelling? There are a number of possibilities:

• Sensitivity to particular foods or drugs. (So the answer to your question is yes. Caffeine could cause it, as could "something in food.") Certain blood-pressure medications cause angioedema in a small fraction of the patients who take these drugs. Aspirin and the intravenous contrast agents used for certain X-ray studies can also cause the problem.
  
• Environmental factors, such as extreme heat or cold. (Perhaps it is not the caffeine in the coffee but the heat that triggers the swelling in your case.)
  

• Minor injuries. (It is very important to determine if this is your "trigger." If so, even minor surgical procedures may precipitate a severe case of angioedema.)
  
• Transfusion with blood products.
  
• In some people, a particular immune-system disorder predisposes them to bouts of angioedema. This condition, "C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency," can be inherited or acquired. A simple blood test can determine whether you have this condition.

It is very important that you attempt to identify what factors precipitate your angioedema, so that you can avoid these factors. Also, angioedema can (and should) be treated more aggressively. This is one excellent reason to find a doctor who is familiar with the condition.