related to this, maybe, has anyone with gerd ever felt like their throat had something stuck in it?
it comes and goes, but sometimes it feels like a piece of popcorn is stuck there. really dry, but nothing clears out when i cough. i wonder if its mental, that "lump in throat" thing. i may ask my doctor for a scope. i've had it for a few months now.
I'm really glad you asked.
I have had this off and on for much of my adult life. Sometimes only for a couple days or weeks, and the longest stretch was well over a year.
For a long time all I could find on line about it was references to "globulous hystericus" which is defined as "A sensation as of having a lump or ball in the throat, symptomatic of hysteria." In other words 'it's all in your head.'
I was never satisfied by that.
A couple years ago I finally came across an article that described what is happening in real physiological terms. I think it was this one:
https://www.nexiumresearch.com/cricopharyngeal_spasm.html
But if you type "cricopharyngeal spasm" into google, you'll get quite a few hits.
Also, this video was
very helpful:
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^^^Getting an explanation like that made all the difference for me. I am a massage therapist so the concept of 'hyper tonicity' is very very familiar to me. It makes total sense that a hyper tonic muscle would cause this system. And just recognizing that it's a tight muscle makes it much easier to deal with because 1) you know that it's not dangerous, and 2) you know it will get better.
I have done very well with treating my own cricopharyngeal spasm. Here are a few things I do to get rid of it:
- Relax! I know that sounds obvious, but it really works. If it becomes unbearable I will actually lay down on my side and consciously relax all my neck muscles, letting my wind pipe sag. I may even take a nap.
- Drink hot liquids. Have a nice cup of tea in the evening. Heat reduces tone.
- This is the big one: Eat lots of healthy snacks.
I always have a bag of walnuts and raisons on hand at work. When you chew that combination up it makes a hardy bolus to swallow, and as is mentioned in that video, each time you swallow something solid the cricopharyngeus is forced to relax. So eating is literally Physical Therapy for that muscle. Now whenever I start to feel this problem coming back I make sure to have a mouthful or two of nuts and raisons every hour of so, and it goes away in a day or two.
As to what causes it, no one knows for sure. I believe it can be a byproduct of stress, as people hold tension in different areas of their body. And often it is probably related to GERD. If for some reason (such as a hiatal hernia) acid is making it past the first line of defense where the stomach meets the esophagus, the body will adapt by tightening the cricopharyngeus muscle in order to keep the acid from going further (into your mouth).
Of course, I don't know if this is your problem. The part about dryness in your throat isn't exactly the way I would describe it, but perceptions can vary. However, if it gets worse as the day goes along and is temporarily relieved by eating it's very likely that this is what you have.
One more piece of good news. If you feel something off about your throat it is almost certainly not cancer because those kind of lumps are not usually felt. That said, If you try some of the things I suggested (especially the snacking thing) and it doesn't improve I would definitely see a MD. [That's my mandatory disclaimer.
]
Let me know how it goes.