The annoying feeling that something is stuck in your throat can be quite uncomfortable. It’s not a physical injury or some visible source of pain — still, it can make you feel irritated and even terrified. Imagine not being able to swallow your own spit because there’s food, or something else, stuck in your throat! Hence, if it feels like something is stuck inside your throat, carry on reading this blog to know the possible causes.
Reasons Why It Feels Like Something is Stuck in Your Throat
Maybe you ate something that could be lodged in your throat. Or, perhaps, the feeling of something stuck in the throat has been haunting you for months. In both cases, you should seek medical help to learn the cause and get it treated.
Usually, these three are the culprits of food stuck in the throat:
- Dysphagia
Dysphagia is the term for swallowing difficulties, usually caused by food obstruction. If food stuck in the esophagus is the reason why you have dysphagia, you might still be able to breathe. However, this condition could be painful, uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous.Most of the time, people can know the culprit, as it’s something they recently ate. So the pain when swallowing may be because you didn’t realize the fish you just devoured had a tiny piece of bone in it. Dysphagia can make it hard for an individual to swallow their own saliva.There are other reasons why dysphagia occurs. You can visit a reliable clinic to receive emergency treatment if the condition is severe and you can’t swallow.
- Dysphagia from GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is also a common reason behind dysphagia. In this condition, people experience severe acid reflux as the stomach acids go back into the esophagus, irritating it. Furthermore, you may feel a nagging sensation or that something is stuck in your throat. Apart from this, you can get a chronic cough.Drinking water and taking some OTC medications can help treat dysphagia due to GERD. Nonetheless, you should visit your healthcare provider to manage this condition. - Globus Pharyngeus
Do you have a constant feeling like something is stuck in your throat but can’t link back to the cause? You may feel like you swallowed a pill that went only halfway down. This could be a sign of globus pharyngeus. This condition can be pretty frustrating to deal with, but you might not feel much pain. Visit a doctor to eliminate this condition.
How to Eliminate the Feeling of Something Stuck in Throat?
You might be able to relieve the feeling that something is stuck in your throat at home. Try these tips if you feel food or something else is stuck in your throat:
- Drinking carbonated beverages or seltzer water
- Taking over-the-counter medications with simethicone aimed at treating gas
- Few, big sips of water repeatedly
- Eating small bites of bread dipped in water or milk, banana, or another moist and soft food
- Alka-seltzer or baking soda mixed with water
- Having a tablespoon of butter
- Waiting a bit to see if the food dislodges on its own
What Should I Do?
If the feeling like something is stuck in your throat is severe, visit a doctor. Drinking water or other home remedies might add to the condition if it is serious. Gastroenterology can help treat dysphagia, GERD, and many other conditions. You can contact us at (281) 357 1977. You can find us at 421 School St., Suite 110, Tomball, TX 77375, on the left of the Cardiovascular Institute.