Lump in throat? That could be the cause

Many have a proverbial “lump in their throat”, for example in tense situations. However, the feeling can also occur more frequently and without any external reason. You can find out the reasons for this and what helps against it here.

The “lump in the throat” is not just a figure of speech, but can also make itself felt in real life. What is meant by this is a feeling of tightness or a foreign body in the throat, which is accompanied, for example, by pressure, scratching or difficulty swallowing. For many sufferers, it actually feels like a lump-like, often vaguely mucous object has gotten stuck in the esophagus. That’s why people sometimes talk about the “frog in the throat” or the “globe feeling”, both of which refer to the same phenomenon.

There can be various explanations behind the unpleasant feeling, but most of them are harmless. In this article you will read what a recurring lump in your throat can indicate and how you can get rid of it.

Lump in the throat: The causes are mostly harmless

Although it feels like it, a lump in your throat isn’t usually actually a foreign object that’s stuck. The feeling of a lump can be caused by various physical processes, but it can also be of a psychosomatic nature. According to the Apotheken Umschau, these are the most common reasons for a lump in the throat:

• Backflow of stomach acid (reflux): The feeling of a foreign body in the throat is often triggered by reflux, i.e. the escape of stomach acid into the esophagus. Reflux also causes heartburn in many people. So if the lump in the throat is accompanied by a burning, unpleasant irritation in the upper abdomen, this cause is particularly likely. According to the Apotheken Umschau, a “silent reflux” is also possible, which is not noticeable through the characteristic burning sensation. A medical examination can usually clarify whether patients regularly suffer from reflux. The unpleasant symptoms can often be easily remedied, for example by changing your diet or sleeping with your upper body elevated to prevent stomach acid from refluxing.

• Inflammation of the larynx: An inflamed larynx usually occurs in connection with colds or infections in the nose and throat. This can also cause a lump in your throat. The inflammation is usually caused by viruses, so it cannot be treated with antibiotics and must heal on its own. The ear, nose and throat doctor Sebastian Strieth advises the Apotheken Umschau to take rest if you have a laryngitis, to take it easy on your voice and to provide your throat with plenty of moisture. It usually heals after a few days.

• Stress or mental stress: A lump in the throat can also be a symptom of stress, according to the ENT doctors on the Internet. It is not for nothing that the feeling is colloquially associated with unpleasant situations and feelings of nervousness. Psychological stress such as depression or trauma can also trigger the globus sensation. If the trigger is treated, for example as part of psychotherapy, the lump in the throat often dissolves again.

In addition to these common causes, the lump in the throat can also have other, sometimes less common, reasons. However, these are usually harmless. They include, for example:

• secretion changes
• Benign cysts that develop due to changes in the mucous membrane
• protracted tooth infections
• Tension in the jaw and neck muscles
• misalignments of the spine

Lump in the throat: You should rule out these reasons

A lump in the throat is not usually a cause for concern and can occasionally occur. Most of the time, the feeling goes away quickly. However, if you regularly experience an unpleasant feeling in your throat, you should have the cause checked by a doctor to be on the safe side. As a rule, one of the above-mentioned and largely harmless reasons is behind it. In rarer cases, however, it can also be a symptom of a more serious illness. Seek medical advice if globus sensation persists for several days to a week or recurs intermittently.

With an endoscopic examination, doctors can rule out that there is actually a foreign body in the esophagus, larynx or thyroid gland, for example a malignant tumor. According to Sebastian Rieth, however, this is rather unlikely: in the vast majority of cases, no tumor is found during the examination.

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