Everything is getting stuck when I eat, including water

[Orange Lightning]

This isn't a case of mis-perception or imagining a lump in my throat, because I know I have neither, and I know what they both feel like. In this case, I literally cannot swallow properly. Everything, from bread to fruit to my own saliva gets trapped at the top of my throat, and again about halfway down my neck. As in I can cough most of it back out again, or it always ends up in my airways. Also every time I eat, I feel short of breath, especially when the food is stuck in place. The only thing that even begins to get it down is dousing everything with water, but if I drink too much with my food I feel it sloshing back up my throat, and occasionally burning in my mouth, or a warm feeling in my throat. Sometimes the water itself also gets stuck.

My throat is pretty much broken beyond repair isn't it? I've had reflux before, and arguably it's felt worse before now, but why hasn't it ever done this to me until now?! I can't even swallow the mucus building up at the back of my throat, no matter how many times I try..!

[Catherine S]

Has anybody had a look down your throat lately Orange?

ISB x

[Fishmanpa]

You really should see an ENT or Speech/Language Pathologist so a swallow study can be done. You need to determine if this is an actual physical issue. As one who has swallowing issues due to damage from radiation treatments, I live with it daily. I experience what you describe and must be very careful when I eat. I need to do exercises every day in order to maintain my ability to swallow.

Positive thoughts

[chung]

acid reflux can cause narrowing of the throat. Its called stricture

[Orange Lightning]

You really should see an ENT or Speech/Language Pathologist so a swallow study can be done. You need to determine if this is an actual physical issue. As one who has swallowing issues due to damage from radiation treatments, I live with it daily. I experience what you describe and must be very careful when I eat. I need to do exercises every day in order to maintain my ability to swallow.

Positive thoughts

An ENT looked at me not too long ago, but this was sadly just before I got this problem, and he saw nothing.

[Fishmanpa]

acid reflux can cause narrowing of the throat. Its called stricture

Only in very severe and prolonged cases (over 10 years) where the issue has not been treated and even then it's rare. Most typically issues like the one being described are a result of reflux/anxiety and possibly GERD, especially in light of a clean report from an ENT. This can be treated with diet and PPI's as well as psychologically treating the underlying anxiety issues.

Source: Division of thoracic surgery, Beth Israel/Mt Sinai Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. One of the top ENT hospitals in the US.

Positive thoughts

[Orange Lightning]

Only in very severe and prolonged cases (over 10 years) where the issue has not been treated and even then it's rare. Most typically issues like the one being described are a result of reflux/anxiety and possibly GERD, especially in light of a clean report from an ENT. This can be treated with diet and PPI's as well as psychologically treating the underlying anxiety issues.

Source: Division of thoracic surgery, Beth Israel/Mt Sinai Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. One of the top ENT hospitals in the US.

Positive thoughts

Thank you, at least it's not a serious bit of damage. I just beg and pray it's anxiety alone; at least then it's curable. It's not easy to believe though when your throat feels like it's burning and burning liquids reach your ears.

[Hypo]

I get this ALL the time.

It is anxiety. My GP didn't even send me anywhere because he knew straight away.

It lasted for months; now it comes and goes.

[Orange Lightning]

I get this ALL the time.

It is anxiety. My GP didn't even send me anywhere because he knew straight away.

It lasted for months; now it comes and goes.

This is quite reassuring; I have a manometry coming up just to make sure, but I hope it comes back negative :)

[Kirbear4]

My ex used to get this, things he ate and drank seemed to get stuck. He would then have to keep drinking water to get the 'stuck' things back up again! He had an endoscopy but nothing was ever found to be wrong. Just 'one of those things' apparently!