My mother is on pension which is not enough to live so she lives with me. Well she constantly clears here throat 2 or more times a minute some times as much as 6 times a minute and it never stops. She has lived with me 4 years so I have had to deal with this for 4 years and it drives me insane. but she is my mother so I cannot just kick her out since you can't really do that to family. She does it so much if someone clears there throat just once near me in public I just want to beat the crap out of them.

You guys in the office should be glad you do not have to deal with that at home. I actually many times stay at work late just for the fact I know what I have to deal with before I got home.

Irritating if you know the person can help it at some point. At meetings, I had an opponent who did this at certain times during key moments. Clever tactic- stop the meeting and ask the offender if he or she has seen a doctor recently. . .

Thank god I'm not alone.
The sound of throat clearing is driving me insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane.
Specially if it's done in a quiet room with 7-8 people working and one of them does this twice a minute. and LOUD. you do the math. I'm trying to understand why do I get annoyed to the point where I can't concentrate any more and expecting the next sound to come. I'm not trying to blame the person doing it but if you do it 2 times every minute and no one else is, then something is wrong with you too..
How can some people be so ignorant, you are not alone, there are people around you. I would greatly appreciate if someone can give some inside of why do we get annoyed by these sounds. I don't understand, it's driving me crazy.

No, it isn't a bad habit!
When I eaten a bit quickly. I will use; or sometimes that happened with
no reason, then I would spitting. Just a necessary for me.

My son has been clearing his throat since he got a cold in January of this year and yes its irritating - BUT -we're looking for an underlying cause now. Apparently, in addition to sinusitis, it can be caused by acid reflux too. Not only are these people you speak of aware of it - it's more irritating to them then you because medical professionals don't know whats causing it - they say here- take this acid reflux medicine or change your diet or any number of things hat don't solve the problem - so PLEASE - be understanding - they are NOT doing this to annoy YOU - and doctors don't have a clue on how to help them. Those people you speak of have to live with this most waking moments - not just the times your in the room with them. Take care

I can't believe that there are others out there going absolutely insane from hearing someone constantly throat clear. I thought I was alone! The repeated acts of snorting, coughing and throat clearing disgusts me to no end.

How can someone be so unaware of themself and the disturbance it causes in an office environment. Ear plugs or headphones aren't an option as this person is also excessively loud. Disgusting!

*coughs "my dad" under breath*

Thank GOD you all feel the same way I do. There are two guys next to me right now, who are in my business school, but who have been doing this every damn day for the last month or so, about once every 10-20 seconds. It's taking all I have not to lean over and punch one of them in the head, especially since he always glares in contempt when someone is opening a plastic wrapper, like a granola bar. Ironic, don't you think, that he is annoyed by wrappers but doesn't know what a FREAKING IRRITANT his throat clearing is? We all seem to all be triggered by certain sounds. I note that I don't think this bothers anyone else in the room. Why it gets to me, I'm not sure, but I know I always seem to key in on it almost immediately. I think it's rude, but like the posrter below said, since the offenders don't seem to realize they're doing it (usually), I have a hard time saying anything about it, because I'm almost sure it'll be interpreted as an insult.
There was a chick in my office who cough/cleared her throat EVERY GOD DAMN FU*&ING DAY for 2 YEARS, at least ONCE EVERY MINUTE. I seriously thought about yelling at the top of my lungs, but then one day just slipped her a note and/or a bag of cough drops as a strong hint. She, by the way, leaves the office to smoke at least 5 times a day. It did at least open my eyes to the idea that there are times I get trapped between being terribly annoyed personally but feeling I can't do anything direct about it, which gives me an area to improve. I think most people are leary about confronting someone about this though, since it does take practice to do it without offending them. Still, I don't think we should have to put up with this crap from a smoker who is ruining the ability to concentrate and hence be productive. I think it is absolutely justified to talk to HR if it's bothering you beyond belief. Good luck, fellow workers/students. Try to keep from going insane. And to the guy below from England, SHUT UP. Here in America we act differently with each other at work. We're constrained by acting properly and respectfully, you wanker.

we have someone at our work that all day hocks his throat it makes you want a vomit but how do you tell someone they are discusting withou hurting feelings or be sued??

My God, you folks whine on and on and on and on; I can only presume you're all Americans; you must be. Right?

Clearing your throat is not a bad habit, as long as you are in all actuality, clearing your throat.

Sometimes it just has to be done.

But there is a way to be curteous and less abrasive about it.

Lets think of the alternative, someone trying to talk to you but with a scratched up voice, I don't mind it.

i am in cubicle land as well. i just did a tally on the person sitting across from me. 15 times in 10 minutes!!! 7 of those times were in the first 3 minutes. totally annoying.

I have had a problem like this at work for the past five years. The guy in the next cubicle does this every 10 seconds. It is disgusting, distracting, and most importantly unprofessional. He does not know that he is doing it - which is a walking stereotype of the socially inept engineer that he is. Others in the office are aware of it as well, so I finally decided to write to HR, and also talked to his boss about it, and they are in agreement with me and will tactfully deal with it the best that they can. Hopefully, this will help the problem. The key from your standpoint is to be as professional about it as possible. Praise the person and emphasize that it is only about the habit, which in my situation is truthful. If you make it personal, they will think that you are a chronic whiner and ignore you, which frankly they should. Hope that helps.

That drives me crazy. Not only it sounds herendous, it looks rediculous.

I do this some. I try to be aware of it but during heavy allergy season regardless of how many drugs I take I still seem to have a little drainage. Gross or not, it is just a fact for some. I do try to refrain though.

Well there is this guy in my office who does it all the time . . . there he goes again as im typing!! its driving me nuts. hows it go? . . . aaaggggghhhhuuuummm aaaggggghhhhuuuummm!! . . . aaaggggghhhhuuuummm

Oh my gosh!! It seems like evey time I take an exam there is always someone doing this. So annoying...Drink something, suck on a coughdrop, do something!!

this is very annoying and sounds gross. i know a young man who does this constantly no matter how many times hes been told that its rude and wished he wouldnt do it.i see alot of young people today that act like they were not taught manners growing up.

My mother-in-law is the worlds best at this. During conversations with her, it becomes so loud and incesant, that I don't even think she hears half of the things I say!

Perhaps a cough drop might soothe that little tickle in the throat. I'm not a doctor or a nurse, but couldn't hurt to try it...

Nah but it would be nice if someone got the person a cup of tea :)

I can't help it if I have a frog in my throat. OK!

I'm guilty of this one too. This is a side effect of the medicene I take. I find the a cup of chamomile tea will usually fix this problem.

Unless they have an actual frog lodged in their trachea, then they should relieve people of having to listen to that painful guttural-- especially when we're taking a Trig test!!!

OH MY GOD!! this is SO annoying In class there's this guy I have to sit by and he does it ALL the time and it drives me absolutely insane!

I put it right up there with people hawking-up spit and/or snot; both of which tick me off big time!

I can't say I've really been affected by it. If someone did clear their throat a lot, I'd give them a cough drop.

it could be taxing if I am around them all day and they do this the whole time. I know they probably cannot help it. I might find an excuse to get away from them for awhile if i could.

Sure Sure, make fun of people who have medical conditions.