In the spring of 2024, I began noticing an irritation in my throat, right where my neck meets my chest. At first, I tried to ignore it, figuring it would go away on its own. But it didn’t. Instead, the irritation got worse. I suspected postnasal drip or acid reflux, so, in consultation with my primary care physician, Wayne Warren, MD, I tried all sorts of over-the-counter remedies. The irritation kept getting worse. I coughed all the time.