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In your note you mentioned that your father-in-law besides having arthritis also has P.D. What caught my attention was the fact that he was feeling of tightness in his throat and choking sensation especially at night. I am a speech pathologist and have worked with people that have P.D. and dysphagia(swallowing impairments). It appears to be very common in people with P.D. And it can be very dangerous. Let me begin at the beginning. When one has difficulty swallowing there is a chance that what they are attempting to swallow will enter into their trachea and proceed into their lungs. This may then develop into pneumonia. At night people become very tired and are unable to do as much as they would be able to in the morning. This includes swallowing. The muscles which control the swallow also become weak and may cause a choking sensation when attempting to eat or drink. If your father-in-law is feeling a choking feeling when eating or drinking, he ought to see his doctor and request a prescription to see a speech pathologist. Is his choking feeling when he is eating or drinking? If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. I hope that I have presented you with a little more insight into swallowing. Judy [log in to unmask]