How Does It Feel Like When Something Is Stuck Inside The Throat
Patients often report that they have a feeling that they are trying to swallow something but its stuck in the middle, not going anywhere.
Getting something stuck in your throat, clogging your windpipe, and making it hard to eat or breathe is something that happens more often than people usually give it credit for. Sometimes you gag or cough to take out the food stuck. Other than that, you can also have severe chest pain or have excessive drooling.
However, when you notice the following symptoms, get medical attention as quickly as possible. This is important as these indicate the possibility of choking.
- You are unable to speak
- There is difficulty breathing
- You make sounds when you try to breathe
- Coughing continually
- Your face turns pale or bluish
- Gradually become unconscious
How Do Medical Tests Help
Blood investigations do not help much in the identification of GERD. Other specific tests which may pin-point towards a diagnosis of acid-reflux disease are
- Endoscopy is the first choice of investigation to diagnose GERD.
- Endoscopic examination helps to rule out other upper gastro-intestinal conditions which may be causing acid-reflux, heart burn and regurgitation.
- Endoscopy also helps to identify any complications which may be present in long-standing and untreated or self-treated cases of GERD.
- 24-hour intra-luminal monitoring of pH of the esophagus is done if the diagnosis is still unclear and if endoscopy turns out to be normal.
- Intra-luminal pH is constantly recorded while the patient is carrying out his/ her day-to-day activities. A pH of less than 4 for more than 6-7% of study time indicates acid-reflux disease.
Belching And Feeling Of Something Stuck In Throat: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Feels like something stuck in throat and burping? What is the most prevalent reason for this?
Among the most frequent cause of this sensation is GERD. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is an abbreviation for Gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD is the medical term for persistent heartburn and indigestion.
In this condition, stomach acid travels forward into the esophagus once the stomach acids back up into the esophagus, it will cause a set of symptoms and aggravate the lining. Manifestations include heartburn, which feels like something stuck in throat,,, and burping is all about.
You may even recognize that eating certain foods, such as fried or fatty foods, aggravates your clinical signs.
Typically, antacids or over-the-counter medication can assist in managing acid reflux or indigestion. Still, if you consider these symptoms regularly, you should see your physician for an examination.
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You Have An Inflammatory Throat Condition
Certain health issues that affect the pharynx may play a role in globus sensation.
For example, medical problems that produce irritation and inflammation of the throat â including pharyngitis, tonsillitis and chronic sinusitis with postnasal drip â can stimulate an increased sensitivity in the throat region, generating globus pharyngeus, according to a May 2012 review in the âWorld Journal of Gastroenterologyâ.
âFix it:â See your doctor, who can properly diagnose and treat your throat condition. Once the underlying issue is in check, your globus sensation should subside.
Should I See A Doctor For Globus Pharyngeus
Globus sensation usually disappears on its own over time, but you should seek medical advice if the condition is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:
- Pain in the throat or neck
- Muscle weakness in the throat or elsewhere in the body
- A mass that can be seen or felt in or around the neck or throat
Its also time to call the doctor if your symptoms get progressively worse, or youre over the age of 50, if you have a history of smoking or frequent alcohol use and symptoms come on suddenly.
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Drink Soda Or Fresh Lemonade
Drinking soda or fresh lemonade helps quite often. The carbonated drink will cause the walls of your throat to expand outwards and simultaneously the liquid will help push the object down the stomach. Its a simple and effective remedy. Also, the drink breaks the food particles or releases gas that can help in dislodging the food.
Could It Be Something Else
It sure could! If you dont know whats ailing you, then let the experts at GoHealth Urgent Care help with your diagnosis.
Were here seven days a week, 365 days a year, and you can walk in or save your spot online.
See our prices on co-pays and same-day visits, with and without insurance.
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- Dignity Health-GoHealth Urgent Care in San Francisco
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Seeing An Ent Specialist
If youre unsure of your symptoms and would like a clear diagnosis, make an appointment with a doctor. They may refer you to an otolaryngologist, or an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
This doctor will examine your mouth, nose, and throat. They will pass a flexible, ultrathin telescope with a light through your nose to see inside your sinuses and down into your throat
This examination may not confirm a globus sensation diagnosis. What it can do is offer another explanation for your symptoms. For example, if acid reflux is suspected, additional testing may be done to confirm that diagnosis.
You Have A Thyroid Problem
People with certain kinds of thyroid disease may develop a feeling that something’s stuck in their throat too.
Thyroid abnormalities appear to be more prevalent in people with globus sensation, and approximately one-third of those with a thyroid mass report globus-related symptoms, according to the âWorld Journal of Gastroenterologyâ.
Specifically, goiters â or an enlarged thyroid gland â can bring on globus sensation.
Additional signs of goiter involve, per the Cleveland Clinic:
- A lump in the front of your neck, just belowyour Adam’s apple
- A feeling of tightness in your throat area
- Difficulty swallowing
Still, it’s worth noting that “oftentimes, thyroid enlargements, like goiters, are very slow growing and don’t cause symptoms ,” Dr. Chen says.
âFix itâ: If you think youâre experiencing thyroid troubles, consult with an endocrinologist who can perform an assessment.
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Something Is Actually Lodged In Your Throat
Children and the elderly often get food lodged in their throats. This can make them contemplate the fact that it feels like something is stuck in my throat after eating.
Children and the elderly often get food lodged in their throats.
A preventative measure against this physical issue is to try to chew food more thoroughly and take smaller bites.
Have a drink, and let it fully pass down the throat. If youre struggling, you may need to cough it up.
Feels Like Something Stuck In Throat And Burping: Diagnosis
Does it feel like something is stuck in my throat when I swallow? This is usually identified through consultations with you about your throat indications. These consultations may propose potential causes. You will probably have been assessed by an Ear, Nose, and Throat Expert to rule out any physical origin.
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A Feeling Of Food Stuck In Throat And Burping
The next thing you know, youre coughing and attempting to clear your throat over a painful lump after enjoying a chewy and delectable food. The feeling like something stuck in the throat and burping wont go away, no matter how much you swallow or how much water you drink.
Are you having a hard time breathing? Although you can still breathe, your throat and chest hurt. What exactly is going on?
If a piece of food becomes dislodged in the upper esophagus, it can fall into the windpipe, cutting off the air supply and causing the person to turn blue and pass out.
Contact irritation, inflammation, and erosion can occur when food or a foreign object becomes lodged in the esophagus. If tenderized or marinated meat becomes lodged in the esophagus for an extended period of time, it can cause damage to the esophageal lining.
Unless the food obstruction is minor, water or carbonated beverages may help relieve the food down, but dont overdo it. If the food occlusion is extreme, you risk exacerbating it.
Most people will not endure a food obstruction for more than a matter of hours because the sensation is too excruciating.
Feeling Like Something Is Stuck In Your Throat
My 10yr old son continually feels like something is stuck in his throat and feels like he has difficulty breathing at times. He says it feels like his throat is being squeezed. This has gone on now for 4 months and he has lost 9 lbs. He is 10 and only weighs 59 lbs now. Its bad enough for him that he will tell me he would just rather die. Weve been seeing doctors and Im now at a loss as to what to do next. Hes had an Endoscopy , a barium swallow test, an MRI on his neck, allergy testing, etc. Weve seen a Speech Pathologist, a Phychologist, and got to physical therapy weekly. 1/2 of the doctors think its all in his head but I KNOW its not! Ive read his exact complaints online posted by other people but no one seems to have found any answers. My son is typically never sick and never has been. He now BARELY eats, worries about not being able to breathe and is starting to seriously struggle with whats going on. I need some help, some ideas, etc.
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Youre Taking A Certain Medication
The cause of your throat irritation could be sitting on the shelf in your medicine cabinet.
“Medications that decrease saliva production can result in globus as well,” Dr. Chen says.
As a matter of fact, people dealing with dry mouth seem to be at a greater risk for globus pharyngeus. That’s what a February 2010 study in âHead & Neckâ discovered. Researchers concluded that reduced salivary flow appears to be a contributing factor to globus sensation.
The problem is, a plethora of common over-the-counter and prescription drugs can cause oral dryness, including antihistamines, antihypertensive medications, decongestants, pain medications, diuretics, muscle relaxants and antidepressants, according to the American Dental Association .
âFix itâ: If you believe your medication is causing that lingering lump in your throat, speak with your doctor, who can adjust your dosage or prescribe another drug to decrease dry mouth â and accompanying globus â symptoms.
Tips On Dealing With This Condition
If you say, “It feels like something is stuck in my throat”, you may use the following tips to make things more manageable.
- Use antibiotics if you’re experiencing a feeling of tightness due to throat infections. To treat esophagitis and GERD, you will have to take stomach acid reduction medications. Be sure to avoid foods that may trigger an allergic reaction or increase stomach acid, such as sour foods, coffee, spicy foods and alcoholic drinks.
- Seem immediate medical attention if you have a foreign object such as fish bones stuck in your throat.
- You may have to undergo surgery or opt for radiotherapy if you have a cancerous lump in your throat.
- Be sure to chew your food well before swallowing to reduce pain caused by neurological or congenital issues.
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How Do You Relax Your Throat From Anxiety
What Causes The Globus Sensation
The actual cause is much less scary. Most cases of globus are caused by acid reflux. Your stomach acid comes up into your throat and irritates the mucosa, the lining of your throat, which causes a little bit of swelling. The way your throat lining defends itself against injury like acid is by producing mucus. Mucus is a protective barrier. So if acid is frequently coming up as high as your throat in an abnormal way, its going to cause injury and incite inflammation in your throat lining. In reaction to that, your throat is going to weep mucus and phlegm. Thats probably what gives you this globus sensation.
Another cause of globus might be post-nasal drainage and excessive mucus from allergies. In this case, the sensation is coming from sticky phlegm and mucus hanging in your throat. You might not be able to clear it as well as you want. If you cant get it to go down your throat, it can annoy you.
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Other Factors Due To Which You Can Feel Something Is Stuck In The Throat
Apart from dysphagia or globus pharyngeus, I have also come across patients who felt something is stuck in the throat due to other reasons. Certain medication or medical conditions can lead to a dry throat causing the feeling that something is stuck in the throat.
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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Commonly, this is caused by acid reflux, when stomach contents tend to travel back to the food pipe and the inflammation from the acid causes muscle spasms that lead to Globus Sensation. It is called Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. Taking anti-reflux medications helps in this case.
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Changes in the mood or depression
For some people, psychological mood swings can also lead to the feeling of lump in the throat. Anxiety or depression can cause dryness in the throat and a feeling that something is stuck in it. Drinking water and relaxing help with alleviating this phantom feeling.
Tonsil infections are also a common cause of this feeling. At times, even after receiving treatment for tonsils and taking antibiotics, the pain reduces but tonsils can remain enlarged. If this enlargement of tonsils is bothersome and prolonged, you may have to consider a Tonsillectomy surgery that removes tonsils completely. If one of the underlying causes of something stuck in the throat is recurrent tonsil infections, then visit Pristyn Care clinics to get the most effective treatment.
Why Does It Feel Like Something Is Stuck In My Throat
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
Have you ever said to someone, It feels like something is stuck in my throat, but you dont know why because theres nothing there?
You figure you would know if something was caught in the throat, like an object or a piece of food, or if some phlegm was having trouble coming out. And yet, everything seems to be clear.
This sensation typically occurs at the back of the throat, behind the tongue, and feels like the object wont come away from there no matter how much you try to dislodge it, usually by clearing the throat.
Often the feeling is accompanied by difficulty swallowing, drooling , hoarseness , loss of appetite, or pain and even pressure in the upper chest .
The condition is frustrating and sometimes alarming, and usually there is no need to panic.
As with most ailments and peculiar symptoms, if it doesnt go away on its own after a week then you should seek the advice of a medical professional, especially if you have chest pain and are drooling quite a bit during the day.
In this article:
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How To Treat Globus
If you experience the globus sensation, are younger than 50 and dont drink and smoke heavily, follow this plan of action:
- Take 14 days of Prilosec, a stomach-acid reducer you can find at drug or grocery stores.
- Carefully monitor globus symptoms.
- If the globus sensation eases off or goes away, you likely have acid reflux.
- If the symptoms do not improve, see your primary care physician. He or she may refer you to an otolaryngologist or a gastroenterologist.
Why Does It Feel Like Something Stuck In Throat And Burping
When a person says that he/ she feel like something stuck in throat and burping all the time, they typically point towards a clinical condition called Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. Gastro Esophageal Reflux or plain burping is a normal physiological process which usually after meals without harming the esophageal mucosa.
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease causes frequent burping with regurgitation of gastric contents and prolonged exposure of esophagus to gastric contents which leads to signs and symptoms and tends to hamper a persons daily routine.
GERD is a chronic, relapsing clinical condition which characterized by involuntary reflux of acid or gastric contents into the esophagus and throat.
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When To Contact A Doctor
Its important to know that globus sensation is not dangerous, and it does not cause additional complications. That means contacting a doctor is often unnecessary.
However, this sensation can be confused with other disorders that do need a doctors attention. You should call a doctor within a few days if you continue to experience the lump in your throat or if you develop other symptoms.
For example, difficulty swallowing can be a sign of a larger problem and should be addressed immediately.