Feeling of something in your throat (Globus) (2024)

FAQs

Feeling of something in your throat (Globus)? ›

Globus sensation is an overwhelming feeling of a lump or foreign object being lodged in a person's throat. Possible causes include acid reflux or GERD, pharyngeal inflammatory conditions, anxiety, and more. A physical examination will reveal there is no object or lump present.

Globus pharyngeus or globus sensation is the painless sensation of a lump in the throat and may be described as a foreign body sensation, a tightening or choking feeling. It is often associated with persistent clearing of the throat, chronic cough, hoarseness, and catarrh.

Disorders that can be confused with globus sensation include cricopharyngeal (upper esophageal) webs, symptomatic distal esophageal spasm, GERD, skeletal muscle disorders (eg, myasthenia gravis, myotonia dystrophica, inflammatory myopathy), eosinophilic esophagitis, and mass lesions in the neck or mediastinum that ...

➢ Breathe steam, either from a bowl of hot water, or by breathing through your mouth and nose in the bath or shower. If you follow this advice, you should find that the globus sensation disappears.

For up to 75% of patients, symptoms can persist for years and may be accompanied by constant clearing of the throat and coughing. Alternately, the sensation may go away by doing something as simple as eating.

For many people with globus sensation, having their symptoms explained may be all that is needed. Knowing that there is no serious underlying problem can be very reassuring. In many people, the problem settles on its own with time.

In many people, globus sensation goes away without treatment. Swallowing something, such as drinking water, may help ease the feeling. If your condition is linked to high levels of stress or emotion, such as grief or anxiety, your healthcare provider may refer you to a mental health provider.

Since globus might arise from hypersensitive esophageal sensory pathways, drugs that modulate sensory pathways might be of some benefit. The usual first choice is a low dose of a tricyclic antidepressant.

What foods should you avoid with globus sensation? ›

Reduce consumption or alcohol and trigger foods (fatty, acidic and spicy foods). Leave a break of 2-3 hours after eating dinner and going to bed. Ensure to sit upright after eating and try not to move around too much.

Antacids: Both over-the-counter antacids and prescribed reflux medications can help ease acid reflux. After the acid reflux is dealt with, the burning sensation in your throat should ease. Swallowing: Simply eating and swallowing food may cause the lump sensation to go away over time.

Diagnosis of Globus Sensation

Clinicians want to make sure that patients have no physical mass, stricture, or growth causing the sensation. Diagnostic tests of choice include flexible laryngoscopy, barium esophagram, and or esophageal endoscopy/transnasal esophagoscopy.

It's also called 'globus sensation'. Globus is usually not a sign of anything serious. It can be caused by many things, such as an increased tension of muscles or irritation in the throat. Your throat can be irritated by, for example, reflux.

Globus uniquely occurs between meals, and is somewhat relieved by swallowing something, often a glass of water. On the other hand, dysphagia occurs during the swallowing of food or sometimes liquids. It gives the sensation that something is stuck in the gullet – often below the throat.

Lack of moisture is a common cause of a pill getting stuck in the throat. This may be especially true for pills that a person must take first thing in the morning. Some pill coatings or capsules may also be more likely to become stuck. Some people may find it harder than others to swallow pills.

When mucus starts to build up or trickle down the back of the throat, this is known as postnasal drip. Causes of postnasal drip include infections, allergies, and acid reflux. As well as feeling the need to clear the throat frequently, a person with postnasal drip may also experience: a sore throat.