What to do if an abscess appears in the throat? Inflammatory processes in the throat.

A lump in the throat is an uncomfortable sensation in which a person feels pressure in the neck and difficulty in passing air through the airways. It is not an independent disease, but it becomes a signal that some disorders are present in the body. Most often occurs in disorders of the functioning of the thyroid gland or in the case of the removal of one of its parts, as well as pathologies of the larynx and neurological problems.

A person with such a symptom should not, without consulting doctors, understand the causes of its occurrence, and even more so try to get rid of it himself. Because the factors of appearance are so diverse that only a qualified specialist can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Doctors note that patients themselves describe a lump in the throat with the most characteristic symptoms, such as the feeling of a foreign body in the throat, the inability to swallow, as if something is moving, burning and severe pain in the throat during and after eating.

Depending on the causes, there are several ways to treat this disorder - drugs are mainly used, and consultation with a psychotherapist is required.

Etiology

In medicine, it is customary to divide all the factors that provoke sensations of a lump in the throat into two large groups. The first one includes:

inflammation of a chronic or acute nature in diseases such as, or. Such ailments can be complicated by an abscess or edema, which can completely block the access of oxygen to the body;
malignant, rarely benign neoplasms in organs such as the larynx, trachea or nasopharynx. It is they who lead to the sensation of a lump in the throat and difficult breathing. It is best to get rid of such neoplasms in the early stages, because they can be complicated by the spread of metastases;
violations of the thyroid gland, as well as cases of its complete or partial removal;
problems with the cervical spine - the most common cause of a coma in the throat;
reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus;
sedentary and sedentary work or lifestyle;
addiction to alcohol and smoking;
metabolic disease;
complications after medical intervention.

Very often, people feel a lump in the throat when swallowing or after eating - in such cases, the cause of such an unpleasant feeling is problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

The second group of reasons are:

stressful situations;
emotional swings;
irrational daily routine, in which a person does not have enough time to relax.

In addition, there is whole line factors that have a beneficial effect on the appearance of a coma in the throat:

excessively high body weight;
various injuries that caused displacement of the vertebrae;
presence in the throat of a foreign body;
taking certain medications;
the consequences of a strong and prolonged cough;
pregnancy;
or .

Oddly enough, the most common causes of feeling a lump in the throat are nervous disorders. But this can be argued only in cases where no problems were found with the digestive tract, thyroid gland and respiratory organs.

The appearance of a lump in the throat during pregnancy should not cause fear in a woman, since this does not pose a threat either to the fetus or to the course of bearing a child as a whole.

Symptoms

Except brightly pronounced signs a coma in the throat, in which it is difficult to breathe and it is painful to swallow not only food, but also saliva, there are other symptoms, such as:

tightness;
perspiration;
sore throat after eating;
difficulty in eating solid food;
constant anxiety;
change of mood;
increase in pressure;
increase in heart rate;
oxygen deficiency and, as a result, asthma attacks;
nausea;
indigestion;
pain in the chest and heart, often moving to the lower back and back;
muscle weakness;
fever and increased sweating, and in some cases, on the contrary, chills;
pain in the head of varying intensity of manifestation;
feeling of heaviness in the limbs.

In addition, a person is constantly nervous, because he believes that a lump in his throat is oncological neoplasm. Thus, it turns out that a person worsens his own condition, because nervous state only increases the intensity of symptoms.

During pregnancy, signs of feeling a lump in the throat can occur at any time and accompany a woman until the very birth. Most often, those representatives of the weaker sex who are carrying a child turn to doctors. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy all the feelings of a woman become aggravated, and what she would not pay attention to in ordinary life is alarming at such a time. Therefore, she tries to identify the cause of this feeling and get rid of it.

Diagnostics

To determine the causes of a coma in the throat, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis, which consists of:

collection of detailed information about the regime of the day and nutrition, working conditions. Familiarization of the attending physician with the patient's clinical record (the presence of certain diseases is often the cause of this unpleasant sensation);
find out how the pregnancy proceeds;
determining when the first symptoms of a lump in the throat were detected, which of them bother the patient. Finding out whether there were independent attempts to get rid of the coma and the presence of discomfort after eating;
general examination of the patient, oral cavity and neck palpation;
holding and and ;
MRI and CT of the cervical vertebrae;
radiography;
determining the level of hormones;
careful examination with a laryngeal mirror;
additional consultation, in the event that a lump in the throat bothers a woman during pregnancy.

After receiving complete picture the course of this disorder and establishing the causes of its origin, the doctor prescribes the most effective treatment.

Treatment

In some cases, people try to get rid of a lump in their throat on their own, with the help of unnecessary drugs that can only aggravate the situation. In addition, they have great hope that the lump will resolve itself - some specifically eat solid food and a lot of liquid, hoping to push it through. That is why patients turn to doctors, feeling severe pain, lack of oxygen, some begin to think that someone is moving. Regardless of the reasons, it is best to start treatment when the first symptoms appear, especially if the patient is a woman who is preparing to become a mother.

Depending on what was the impetus for the appearance of a coma in the throat, a different treatment is prescribed, individual for each patient. If the cause is a malfunction of the thyroid gland, drugs are prescribed with high content iodine. With a hormonal disorder - the corresponding hormones. In cases where problems with cervical vertebrae, special therapeutic exercises, laser and manual therapy. Patients are encouraged to move more and eat a balanced diet.

According to the results of diagnostic examinations, the patient is prescribed antibiotics and other medical preparations. In cases where nervous disorders have become the causes of the manifestation, antidepressants and tranquilizers are prescribed. If the problems lie in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, a special diet is individually compiled for each patient.

It rarely happens that it presses on the throat oncological tumor. When it is diagnosed, appropriate methods of therapy are immediately prescribed - surgery or chemotherapy.

Treatment for women during pregnancy consists of:

special cold medicines that expectant mothers are allowed to take;
herbal sedatives;
healthy sleep and spending a lot of time outdoors.

If goiter became the cause of the coma, the woman is prescribed drugs that improve her health, but are not harmful to the fetus. Surgery to remove the goiter can be carried out only after the birth of the baby.

Prevention

chief prophylactic is that you do not need to try to get rid of the coma on your own, and at the first symptoms it is better to immediately consult a doctor. In addition, prevention includes:

timely treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland;
avoiding overstrain of the vocal cords;
refusal to drink alcohol and tobacco (especially for women during pregnancy);
rationalization of nutrition - it should be enriched with vitamins and not consist only of fatty and spicy dishes;
good rest - leave time for sleep for at least eight hours;
outdoor walks;
regular, but not strong physical exertion;
throat lavage saline solution at the slightest perspiration;
passing a preventive examination in the clinic at least twice a year;
air humidification in a residential or working area;
regular visits to the obstetrician-gynecologist by expectant mothers.

Probably, there is no such person who is unfamiliar with the feeling of pressure, fullness or the presence of something superfluous in the throat. Since the reason for the feeling that something is interfering in the throat threatens to be very serious, you need to know for sure what it could be and how to get rid of the unpleasant feeling as soon as possible.

feeling of itching or scratching;
the impression that sand or dust was poured down the throat;
pain when swallowing;
difficulty swallowing food or water;
feeling that something is pressing in the throat;
as if a ball was stuck in the throat;
edematous condition of the larynx;
feeling as if something stuck to the walls of the throat;
feeling as if something in the throat interferes, but does not hurt;
seems to be difficult to breathe.

In view of such a variety of complaints, only a specialist will be able to determine the cause of an unpleasant sensation in the throat after listening and questioning the patient in detail.

How to determine what is in the throat?

If a person complains that something interferes with his throat, first of all, it is necessary to determine whether this interference is literal. It is possible that he accidentally swallowed a stone from a berry, a seed, a skin from a tomato, or something like that. This can happen at any age. Other probable reasons for the feeling of a blocked throat in people of different ages are described below.

In children

Toddlers, especially those under 3 years old, like to put everything in their mouths, but they are still unable to fully control swallowing. Therefore, they often choke on food and small objects.

Children are not always able to characterize their complaint, but an attentive parent may notice that the baby is naughty, refuses to drink and eat, or loses his voice.

In children, the feeling that something is interfering in the throat, in addition to getting foreign objects into it, can cause the following reasons:

Inflammatory processes oropharynx, such as: tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, laryngitis and other diseases of viral or bacterial origin. With these diseases, a combination of several symptoms is most often observed: fever, cough, choking, hoarseness.
Psycho-emotional disorders children often provoke swallowing difficulties. This happens because, due to stress and overstrain, the muscles of the larynx spasm and narrow its lumen.
Pathology of the thyroid gland is a common occurrence in children. They are caused by insufficient or excessive production of thyroid hormones. Against this background, the thyroid gland may increase and it seems that there is a hindrance in the throat.
Problems with the esophagus, arising from the intake of burning, salted, sour or too hot food, also affect the condition of the laryngeal tissues. The child may complain that his throat burns or tears. Sometimes there is heartburn or belching.

All these reasons can cause a feeling that something is in the throat in both children and adults. But at an older age, the list of reasons is somewhat wider.

In adults

The older the person, the more serious diseases can explain the sensation of interference in the throat:

Osteochondrosis, although not a characteristic disease of the throat, but can affect his condition in a noticeable way. Since osteochondrosis damages or pinches the nerve roots close to the neck area, this can interfere with normal swallowing. Due to attempts to keep the damaged spine in a normal position, the muscles of the neck are constantly tensed, which leads to a feeling of interference in the throat.
Pathologies gastrointestinal tract are more common in adults. Against the background of changes in the digestive organs, namely the stomach and esophagus, there is a difficulty with the digestion of food. Food literally rises across the throat, even when there is not much of it. At hyperacidity stomach, there are emissions of hydrochloric acid into the esophagus, especially because of the habit of eating at night. The acid burns the tissue, causing erosion that makes the throat feel like something is in the way.
Neoplasms in the larynx of various origins - oncological or benign - a direct cause of the sensation of interference. They can be single voluminous or multiple small, as, for example, with papillomavirus. Moreover, tumors can be located not only directly in the throat, but also on thyroid gland. In any case, due to the growth of formations, the walls of the larynx are compressed, and this makes it difficult to swallow and breathe.

Important! The psychogenic origin of a coma in the throat is not a trifle. You can’t just ask a sick person to calm down and not be nervous. It is necessary to pay attention to true reason complaints - perhaps depression, which, as you know, is a reason for immediate treatment.

The causes are not always dangerous, but without a medical examination it is impossible to determine how serious they are. Therefore, you will have to visit the doctor at least once. If the feeling of a lump in the throat does not go away, it is best to visit several different specialists so that the diagnosis is objective.

Treatment options for a sore throat

Since we have listed a number of causes that cause a feeling, as if something is interfering and tickling in the throat, it is impossible to give any specific recommendations for treatment.

It is possible that it will be possible to get by with folk remedies, but sometimes it will be necessary drug treatment which can only be recommended by an experienced doctor.

Generally speaking, to get rid of the sensation of interference, the following recommendations are given:

with an inflammatory origin of a coma, you can gargle with decoctions and infusions of various herbs, for example, calendula, chamomile, sage, as well as soda-salt solutions with the addition of iodine (read more about rinsing in the article Gargling);
if the feeling of interference arose due to malnutrition, you will have to follow a sparing diet for some time, excluding salty, sour, spicy, dry and too hot foods from it;
to alleviate the condition, one should not forget about airing the house and moistening the air in it;
nervous tension, leading to a coma in the throat, can be removed by using soothing herbs (valerian, motherwort, mint, lemon balm).

If attempts to solve the problem with the throat do not lead to success, then a visit to the hospital is indispensable. First consultation with a therapist is recommended, and he, in turn, will tell you who to contact next. Maybe it will ENT, neuropathologist, vertebrologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, psychiatrist or oncologist. Only after drawing up a general picture of the disease, it will be possible to draw up a scheme for correct and effective treatment.

Even if the throat does not hurt, but something seems to interfere in it, there is no need to panic or sit in inaction. Throat health affects general state body, especially the heart, so it also needs to be treated on time.

Read the following articles to continue the topic:

Sore throat when swallowing;

Dry throat - causes;

Lump in the throat - what is it, the causes of its appearance and methods of treatment.

Reasons sensational foreign body in the throat, many. Discomfort can occur as a result of foreign objects entering the throat, due to infectious diseases, and as a result of serious disturbances in the functioning of some body systems. Therefore, in order to assign proper treatment and to know which doctor to turn to for help, it is necessary to establish the cause that caused the unpleasant symptom.

Common Causes

The sensation of a foreign body in the throat may appear directly in the process of eating. In this case, the cause is most likely to be a piece of food stuck in the throat. Dry or poorly chewed food can get stuck in the throat. Also, the use of fruits and vegetables with a peel, seeds, fish with a large number of small bones increases the likelihood of a feeling that a foreign body is stuck in the throat. In this case, often as concomitant symptoms occurs:

coughing;
sore throat;
pain in the nasopharynx;
nausea and vomiting.

As a first aid it is recommended to drink a large number of liquid, or try to push the stuck object through with coarser food. In such situations, it is advisable to use viscous products, such as yogurt or kefir. A stuck bone can also interfere in the throat and cause discomfort, in which case tweezers are used to remove it. If the above recommendations do not bring a positive result, you should seek the help of a specialist.

Most often in childhood there are cases of swallowing various objects. Children taste everything, so small toys, household items, medicines, and the like can get stuck in a child's throat. However, even in adults, the feeling that something is stuck in the throat can be caused by swallowing, for example, pins or needles, which seamstresses often hold with their lips. If something like this got into the throat, you can try to remove the foreign object yourself, if it doesn’t work out, consult a doctor. It is impossible to delay with medical help if:

an object caught in the throat makes it difficult to breathe;
a needle or sharp pin is stuck in the throat;
a toxic object, such as a battery or a tablet, has entered the throat;
as foreign object a pair or more magnets protrude.

Among the most common causes of feeling like something is stuck is vomiting. Small pieces of food, as well as irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa by the acidic environment contained in the stomach, often cause a feeling that something is stuck in the throat. In this case, a little drunk liquid, as well as gargling with a soda solution, quickly relieves an unpleasant symptom.

Swallowing pills is often a problem for many people. In this case, the feeling that something is stuck in the throat arises due to:

insufficient amount of liquid to swallow the tablet;
too much big size medicinal product;
nervousness and fear of the process of swallowing.

Sometimes the tablet or capsule is so large that the person experiences fear when swallowed, thereby causing a spasm of the nasopharyngeal muscles and further exacerbating the situation.

Important! The drug can get stuck in the larynx when the pharynx is not sufficiently moistened or the tablet was swallowed without water.

Therefore, even in the instructions for many drugs, you can find recommendations for their use. So, some tablets need to be swallowed whole, while others are allowed to be pre-divided into pieces, chewed or crushed into powder. In order to get rid of an unpleasant symptom in this case, you must try to push the pill further down the esophagus, washing it down with plenty of liquid.

Causes of the sensation of a foreign object

Often the presence of a foreign object is illusory. A person feels that something is stuck in the throat, while in reality there are no foreign objects in the throat. Among the main reasons that cause a feeling of a foreign body are:

viral and bacterial infections of the nasopharynx;
allergic reactions;
problems in the digestive system;
pathology of the spine, especially the cervical region;
thyroid problems;
neurological disorders;
excess weight;
vegetovascular dystonia;
complications after taking medications.

A common infectious disease can cause a feeling of a foreign object. Often, with diseases of the nasopharynx, an inflammatory process occurs, accompanied by swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat, purulent plaque, which causes a feeling of constriction.

The palatine tonsils can increase as a result of frequent illnesses or against the background of chronic diseases, which also causes a sensation of a foreign object, as well as difficulties in swallowing food and saliva.

Allergic reactions can cause burning and soreness in the throat, which often gives the impression of the presence of a foreign body.

The feeling that something is stuck in the throat can also occur as a result of psycho-emotional overload, as a result of stress, nervous experiences, depression, fears and increased anxiety. At the same time, an unpleasant feeling appears and disappears spontaneously. At the same time, a feeling of constriction and pain may not affect the entire throat, but be localized, for example, only on the right or left. The symptom disappears after complete calm, while the feeling does not go away even after drinking a lot of water and gargling.

If, after a strong nervous shock, a person experiences a feeling of a foreign object in the throat, it is necessary to seek help from a neurologist.

Problems with the digestive system can also cause tightness in the throat. In this case, the pathology may be accompanied by:

burning sensation in the esophagus;
belching;
pain in the stomach;
indigestion.

If the sensation of a foreign object in the throat is accompanied by these symptoms, then most often the patient is diagnosed with a hernia, gastroesophageal reflux, and esophageal pathology. Sometimes, on the contrary, diagnostic procedures, for example, endoscopic examination, can cause microtrauma due to which there is a tightness in the throat. In this case, no treatment is required, healing occurs without outside help.

Cancer tumors that affect the larynx, pharynx, or esophagus cause discomfort in the pharynx, causing pain, itching, and a feeling of a foreign object. The patient has difficulty swallowing. For help in this case, you need to contact an oncologist.

Important! Some blood pressure medications, antiallergic drugs, and other medications can cause a feeling of a foreign object in the throat.

Diagnosis and treatment

In order to establish the true cause that caused the feeling of tightness in the throat, it is necessary to consult a therapist. After the examination, the doctor can make a diagnosis, but consultation with other specialists is often required, for example, a neurologist, oncologist, surgeon, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, and others. In addition to a general examination, it is often necessary to carry out a number of additional diagnostic procedures:

pass clinical analysis blood and urine, hormone analysis;
ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland and esophagus;
radiography, magnetic resonance and computed tomography of the cervical vertebrae.

Only after thorough examination the doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

What to do to help a person get rid of the feeling of the presence of a foreign object in the throat? The correct solution is to eliminate the cause that caused the unpleasant symptom.

If infectious diseases are the cause of the unpleasant feeling, then medical treatment should be started immediately, aimed at combating the virus that caused the disease. In the case of bacterial infections, complex treatment is prescribed using:

antibiotics;
drugs to reduce fever, usually based on ibuprofen or paracetamol;
rinsing with antiseptic agents: furatsilina solution, soda-salt solution, chamomile decoction.

Treatment neurological disorders based on:

normalization of sleep and wakefulness;
elimination of situations that provoke stress;
drug therapy using antidepressants.

If problems are identified in the work of the thyroid gland, a feeling of tightness in the throat may be due to a lack of iodine in the body. In this case, hormone therapy is used to normalize the work of the gland, as well as iodine preparations to make up for its lack.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine also requires medical treatment, but usually therapy is not limited to this. This is the case when the patient needs to carry out a number of additional procedures, for example, acupuncture, massage.

If the patient experiences an illusory sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the throat, only the elimination of the cause that caused it can remove the symptom. However, if you can’t stand it at all, you can use distracting procedures, such as rinsing with decoctions. medicinal herbs(chamomile, calendula) warm drink (Mint tea, decoction of motherwort), irrigation of the pharynx with antiseptic sprays.

Sensation of a lump in the head or pharyngeal ball is quite frequent complaint, with which they turn to the otolaryngologist. Moreover, the degree of discomfort ranges from "something prevents swallowing" to "nothing to breathe." According to medical statistics, almost 45% of people, both men and women equally, experience an unpleasant symptom at least once in their life, while the feeling that something is in the throat interferes with life activity. At the same time, it happens that the throat does not hurt, it interferes only on one side, on the right or left, and you want to clear your throat.

Tortured dry throat cough what to do, you can learn from this article.

Many anatomical structures are located in the neck area: the spine, great vessels, nerve plexuses, Airways, muscles, thyroid and parathyroid gland. Any of these structures can cause discomfort. To establish the true cause of the disease, sometimes the patient has to be examined by 5 doctors.

It is worth trying to accurately formulate the complaint:

a constant sensation - throughout the day, and sometimes observed at night;
burning;
discomfort or even pain when turning the head;
pain with any swallowing;
discomfort when swallowing solid food;
difficulty and pain when swallowing liquid food - if this difference exists, you should definitely tell your doctor about it;
suffocation;
difficulty breathing;
discomfort when exhaling;
muscle spasms- the feeling of the heaviness of one's hand on the throat usually brings relief;

Distension of the throat canal

The more accurately the symptom is described, the easier it is to establish the truth. Unfortunately, it is not possible to obtain such information from young patients, which is why the observation and attentiveness of parents is so important here.

From this article you can find out what the throat looks like with angina.

In addition, the time of onset of symptoms can also indicate the most likely cause of the disease. It is not worth ignoring an unpleasant sensation: even if the symptom itself does not cause much discomfort, it is often a sign of some other, more serious ailment, so far expressed only by the feeling of a lump in the throat.

The causes of a lump in the throat in children are somewhat less than in adults. Fortunately, diseases associated with the pathology of the stomach and esophagus are much less common in children, and osteochondrosis at such a young age is impossible, it happens that after a sore throat something interferes.

Angina and other inflammatory diseases both colds and infectious nature often accompanied by a feeling of a lump in the throat, pain when swallowing, hoarseness. Angina is distinguished from others by the persistence of symptoms: warm drinking and rinsing give almost no result. In this case, treatment without antibiotics is futile. Warm or at least not cold drink is a must. It is very important to prevent dehydration of the child's body. If the baby refuses to drink the “necessary” - milk with butter, tea with honey, it is worth preparing what he loves and offering to drink through a straw. With this method of drinking, the neck muscles relax a little, and it will be easier for the baby to swallow.

How to do vodka compress on the throat with angina, you can find out by reading the article.

In the photo - angina

Sensitive children are characterized by the appearance of a coma in the throat due to experiences. Quarrels with friends or parents, depression, fear, constant pressure provoke nervous strain, which is accompanied by spasm of muscles and blood vessels. The “victim” often becomes the throat.
Inflammation of the thyroid gland, its growth is also a fairly common ailment. In this case, the goiter exerts mechanical pressure on the larynx and muscles, which causes discomfort.
Damage to the esophagus in children is quite rare, and is usually associated not with pathology, but with the reception of an unfamiliar, spicy food highly irritating to mucous membranes. However, if belching and discomfort occurs after eating and persists for a week, it is necessary to show the child to a gastroenterologist.

What antibiotics to treat the throat when it hurts to swallow can be found in this article.

In any case, consultation with at least a pediatrician is necessary. You can not let children's diseases take their course.

In adults

To the most obvious reasons include an inflammatory or catarrhal disease - SARS, tonsillitis, tracheitis. Any of these ailments causes swelling of the throat, tonsils, upper palate, and all of them, respectively, creates a sensation of a foreign body. Moreover, a lump can be felt both on one side and on both. Depending on the severity of the disease, discomfort may occur only when swallowing, or it may be felt constantly, making it difficult normal breathing. As a rule, along with the cure of the underlying disease, the symptoms of the pharyngeal ball also disappear.

How to gargle with Chlorhexidine for angina is indicated in this article.

Laryngitis and pharyngitis- chronic inflammation of the vocal cords or larynx is no less common. The lump here feels not just hard, but often sharp, literally hurts the throat when trying to speak. Such discomfort lasts throughout the day and night, does not increase when swallowing, and disappears only after the restoration of the vocal cords.
Osteochondrosis- a disease that at first glance is difficult to associate with a lump in the throat. However, it is he who is an extremely common cause of the symptom. Starting from the age of 18–25, the elasticity and thickness of the intervertebral discs decreases, and osteochondrosis begins to form. Gradually, the deformation of the cartilage leads to pinching of nerve fibers and blood vessels. Muscle spasms occur as the neck muscles are in constant tension in an attempt to somehow compensate for changes in the spine. All this leads to headaches, dizziness, difficulty in movement, and, of course, to the appearance of a lump in the throat.
The sensation of something in the throat does not appear constantly, but during some processes associated with an additional load on the vessels and muscles - swallowing solid food, physical activity, increase in pressure for any reason. If the pharyngeal ball is also accompanied by muscle spasm, there is a feeling of difficulty in breathing, especially when inhaling.
The second most common cause of constant discomfort in the neck are diseases and pathologies of the stomach and esophagus. According to medical statistics superficial gastritis in people older than 25 years is more common than the norm.
The disease is accompanied by an increase in the acidity of gastric juice. When released into the esophagus, the juice burns the walls of the organ. This causes inflammation and, accordingly, spasm of muscles and blood vessels. As a result, there is a constant sensation of a lump in the throat, a burning sensation, especially strong after eating. Often discomfort in the throat is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness behind the sternum and heartburn. Narrowing of the esophagus is also caused by other disorders - muscle spasms, scars. In such cases, belching is often observed, as food cannot enter the stomach due to obstructions.
Inflammation of the thyroid gland also accompanied by this kind of feeling. nodal or diffuse goiter compresses surrounding tissues and may cause discomfort, but not necessarily. As a rule, the feeling of a lump and difficulty in breathing manifests itself in an adult when the size of the gland is increased by 5–10 times compared to the norm. However, with the wrong location of the gland itself, the symptoms occur earlier.
Stress, violent disturbances for any reason, they often cause muscle spasms, including in the neck. Such a symptom has received an appropriate name - a hysterical coma. However, the feeling of a foreign body in the throat or even suffocation lasts longer than the excitement itself - up to several hours. Relieve discomfort with sedatives. However, the present treatment must be much more thorough.
Mental disorders, especially depression, cause pain in certain parts body. As a rule, these areas are the “weak link”, that is, they are already weakened.

What to do when the ear and throat hurts on the one hand, you can learn from the article.

So, when agitated or in a state of deep depression, a person who has had severe bronchitis or asthma will most likely feel suffocation, associated, however, not with bronchial dysfunction, but with a spasm of the neck muscles. Conventional means, which the patient is used to using - inhalers, act weakly, which only aggravates the depressed state.

It is not always possible to get rid of a lump in the throat on your own. This is not the disease itself, but only a sign of quite a few ailments, so it is difficult to recover without examination and consultation with a specialist.

What to do. when a sore throat on one side when swallowing is indicated in this article.

What to do

If a lump in the throat appears only when it is bright severe symptoms, such as angina, when the temperature is high, enlarged tonsils and lymph nodes leaves no doubt in the diagnosis, then the appropriate treatment is carried out. The symptom disappears along with the rest, and, as a rule, no longer bothers.

What treatment is best when itchy throat and dry cough can be found in the article.

It is much more difficult to establish the true cause of the disease if there are no clear indications of the nature of the disease. In this case, a thorough preliminary examination will be required. This applies to both adults and children.

The therapist or pediatrician analyzes the patient's complaints, conducts initial inspection throat, as well as submandibular and cervical lymph nodes, thyroid gland.
If there are inflamed tonsils or an increase in the thyroid gland, then it is proposed to consult a specialist - an ENT doctor or an endocrinologist. When examining, an endoscope, a laryngoscope are used, and an x-ray of the nasopharynx may be needed.
If inflammation of the throat, vocal cords, thyroid gland is excluded, an examination by a gastroenterologist and a neurologist is necessary.

Be sure to pay attention to the emotional state of the patient, especially when it comes to children. If an adult or child shows clear signs of stress or depression, then psychotherapy is required for treatment, which identifies and eliminates the real cause of the disease.

This article indicates folk remedies than gargle with sore throat.

When confirming a diagnosis, a specialist doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment. To follow medical advice you need to strictly, and besides, be patient. If it takes a month to treat laryngitis, then to eliminate osteochondrosis, if it is still possible to restore cartilage tissue- at least 2 years.

To alleviate the patient's condition, in addition to treatment, other measures are taken:

diet- sharp, sour foods, too hot and cold foods are excluded. They irritate the mucous membrane and provoke compression of the esophagus;
at inflammatory diseases periodic washing of the tonsils is required, gargling, as these procedures allow you to remove mechanical formations that really interfere with swallowing;
air humidification- dry air strongly irritates the mucous membranes. For humidification, it is recommended to use special devices, but a much more affordable way is to place wide vessels with water near a heat source;
ventilation- low oxygen levels have a depressing effect on the nervous system and blood vessels, and this immediately exacerbates all painful symptoms.

From this article you can find out how to treat a throat with pharyngitis.

The most difficult thing is to ensure the recovery of patients with mental trams and disorders. After all, the most important thing here is to create a sense of security. It is difficult for a parent who is used to severely restricting his child and who has found out that it was the prohibitions that caused the disease to abandon the usual scenario. However, it is necessary.

The diagnosis of hysterical coma should not be lightly neglected either. Throat spasm is only a symptom of a nervous breakdown, its cause is deeper and more serious and can lead to severe nervous and mental illness.

This article indicates why after a melon itchy throat.

The sensation of a foreign body in the throat is not just an unpleasant phenomenon in itself. If the symptom is stable, and warm drinks or herbal decoctions do not alleviate the condition, then it is an indication of some kind of latent ailment. Therefore, to install correct diagnosis and treatment must be taken seriously.

The feeling of a coma in the trachea is one of the most common symptoms of a sore throat. Along with the lump, itching and difficulty breathing may also be felt. Such symptoms have several degrees of severity: from mild - a person feels only slight discomfort, to severe - swallowing becomes difficult. The feeling when something interferes in the throat is associated not only with ENT diseases. Sometimes this is a sign of a disease of the thyroid gland, spine or digestive system. If these sensations do not go away for a long time, you should consult a specialist for an accurate diagnosis.

Causes of discomfort in the throat

Factors causing discomfort in the throat, a lot. They can be both internal in origin and the result of external influences. Most often, discomfort in the trachea is observed in women.

Stress

Frequent stressful situations affect the body not the most in the best way. One of the manifestations of disorders against the background of a nervous breakdown can be a lump in the throat. The pattern of formation of this symptom is simple:

with a nervous breakdown, a person needs more air, so the vocal cords move to the edge of the larynx;
if a stressful situation is accompanied by crying and screaming, it is formed additional load on ligaments;
due to excessive pressure on the larynx, the epiglottis slightly rises above the glottis and presses on the surrounding tissues.

When a person calms down, all discomfort disappears. In this case, there is no need to take any means - this is a natural reaction of the body to a stress factor. If the discomfort persists, it clear sign nerve spasm of the pharynx. Then you will need to seek help from a psychotherapist who will relieve the spasm and recommend treatment.

Disorders of the digestive system

If discomfort in the tracheal area appears even in moments of calm and rest, the reason for this may be a disorder of the digestive system. With heartburn and an increased content of acid in the stomach, part of its contents is thrown into the esophagus. This leads to a burn of the mucous membrane and inflammation, which causes discomfort in the throat.

In this case, you do not need to take independent measures and self-medicate. It is recommended to contact a gastroenterologist for an examination. He will assess the patient's condition and prescribe adequate treatment.

Thyroid enlargement

This is one of the most common causes difficulty swallowing and discomfort in the region of the Adam's apple. This organ surrounds the trachea right side, as well as on the left. Growth can also be localized on any one side, or on the right or left. And if the thyroid gland increases, it begins to squeeze all the organs that are in the throat. Symptoms such as a lump, perspiration and cough appear. If you suspect that a lump in your throat is a consequence of a thyroid disease, you should immediately contact an endocrinologist.

An enlarged thyroid gland affects all the organs in the throat.

Inflammatory diseases of the throat

The feeling of a lump in the throat, accompanied by pain and itching, is most often associated with a viral or bacterial infection. Tracheal discomfort can be caused by two main factors:

damage to the villi of the epithelium in acute pharyngitis (they are destroyed during a severe infection and the throat becomes unprotected);
outflow of mucus from the nose into the throat (in this case, there is a feeling of a lump, you constantly want to clear your throat).

To get rid of unpleasant sensations, it is worth going through drug therapy aimed at treating a viral or bacterial infection.

Osteochondrosis

Difficulty breathing and discomfort in the region of the Adam's apple is often felt with problems in cervical region spine. Pinching of the nerve responsible for the functioning of the pharynx, esophagus and respiratory muscles leads to a feeling of squeezing, forms a respiratory disorder, an imaginary sensation of a foreign object when swallowing. There is dryness in the mouth, from which plentiful drinking does not help.

If treatment is not started in a timely manner, the consequences can be negative for health. Shortness of breath will develop, turning into suffocation. Therapeutic measures usually prescribed for osteochondrosis are massage, health-improving physical education and taking certain medications.

Foreign objects

Sometimes the feeling of a lump in the throat is caused by the presence of an object or piece of food there. A small tablet can get stuck in the esophagus or a small seed from a fruit can stick. The symptoms are as follows:

pain in the nasopharynx;
constant desire clear your throat;
nausea leading to vomiting.

If the object is small and not dangerous, you can try to push it through with plenty of drink or rough food. If dangerous or toxic objects (pill, needle, watch battery) get into the throat, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.

During pregnancy, the feeling of a lump in the throat often causes toxicosis.

Lump in throat in children

In childhood, the feeling of a lump in the nasopharynx occurs very rarely. However, there are several reasons why this feeling appears:

Infectious diseases. With inflammation, the mucosa increases in size. Since the lumen of the child's throat is small, there is a feeling of coma or foreign object. The child also often complains that it is difficult for him to breathe and his throat hurts. Treatment of an infectious disease must necessarily include the use of antibiotics.
Damage to the esophagus. Children, especially those aged 1-2 years old, tend to put everything they see into their mouths. It may not always be safe for the body. Getting inside sharp object or a chemical causes swelling of the mucosa. In this case, you must immediately remove the object (on your own or with medical assistance) or flush. Then swelling will subside myself.
Enlargement of the thyroid gland. Just like adults, children can suffer from an overgrowth of the thyroid gland. This happens most often due to a lack of iodine in the body. Symptoms of the disease are similar to goiter observed in adults.
psychosomatic syndrome. In children with severe mental trauma, symptoms of a coma in the throat are often observed. The child constantly wants to clear his throat, although there are no signs of a throat disease. In such cases, you should seek the help of a psychotherapist.

Parents need to remember: a child (especially of younger preschool age) is often not able to accurately describe his feelings. Therefore, in case of any suspicion of a disease, a consultation with a pediatrician is required.

Treatment of discomfort in the throat

A lump in the throat is not a disease, but only its consequence. Therefore, in order for the discomfort to go away, it is important to eliminate its cause. For this, both medical treatment and folk methods are used. Medical treatment is divided into several categories:

Antibiotics are used to treat viral and infectious diseases.
Antidepressants help relieve stress.
Antihistamines - relieve swelling of the mucosa.
Throat softeners - used to relieve perspiration and soreness.

Folk remedies are used as an addition to the main therapy. Their purpose is to soften the mucosa. The most simple and accessible of them:

milk with butter;
tea with honey (bite);
rinses (usually chamomile or other herbal decoctions are used);
badger fat.

It is necessary to take and preventive measures against development similar symptoms: strengthen immunity, adhere to healthy eating, humidify the air in the room and try to avoid stressful situations.

There are many reasons that cause a sensation of a foreign body in the throat. This may be due to both the stuck fragments of food or other objects, and the occurrence of certain diseases that give similar symptoms.

Causes of the sensation of a foreign body in the throat

In order to understand in detail the causes of a coma in the throat, it is worth noting that they are divided into two main groups:

In the first place are the causes that are medical in nature, namely, they are considered symptoms of certain diseases.
The second category is domestic reasons.

Domestic causes of sensation of a lump in the throat

The causes of a coma in the throat, which are of a domestic nature, are not considered particularly dangerous if they are recognized in time, and timely measures were taken to eliminate them. Basically, parents of small children who like to put various objects into their mouths that can get stuck in their throats face such problems.

Another common cause of such an unpleasant sensation is excessive overeating. Also, very often, with the inaccurate use of fish or meat, where there are bones that can get stuck in the throat, sometimes a similar feeling occurs. In this case, in addition to the unpleasant sensation of a lump in the throat, there is also sharp pain caused by the fact that the foreign body irritates and even injures the mucous membrane of the throat, which sometimes leads to its infection.

As we mentioned earlier, the appearance of symptoms of a lump in the throat can be associated with overeating. In other words, when there is a feeling that the food is already "under the throat." In these cases, you should not worry too much, since such unpleasant sensations disappear in just half an hour.

Another reason is the incorrect position of the body during sleep, since in this case the neck for a long time is in the wrong position, which leads to a sensation of a coma in the throat. As a rule, there is nothing wrong with this, it is enough to perform a few simple exercises to warm up the cervical spine so that these sensations pass.

What diseases can cause the sensation of a foreign body in the throat

The sensation of a foreign body in the throat associated with the occurrence of any disease is considered a more serious cause for concern, as it requires a detailed medical examination to identify the disease that provokes such an unpleasant sensation.

Now let us consider in more detail those diseases that cause such symptoms, they include:

One of the most common causes of foreign body sensation in the throat is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. In order to diagnose this disease, you need to contact a specialist, namely a neurologist. As a rule, those people who live in conditions constant stress or suffered a severe nervous breakdown associated with some kind of life upheaval. As with any other disease, the effect of treatment depends on how quickly the disease is recognized and treatment is started directly. It is worth noting that the effect of treatment directly depends on compliance with the complexity, namely, in addition to taking the prescribed medical preparations, you need to put your psychological state in order, which is a good idea to do with the help of a psychotherapist.
If the sensation of a lump in the throat is accompanied by difficulty in swallowing food, as well as difficulty in breathing and the onset of general weakness of the body, then this may be due to a disease such as pharyngitis. In order to install accurate diagnosis with such symptoms, it is necessary to consult an otolaryngologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and prescribe the necessary treatment, so that if all the procedures are performed correctly, the discomfort in the throat will gradually disappear.
The appearance of a lump in the throat sometimes causes a visit to the endocrinologist, as this can be a symptom of a thyroid disease. There are many varieties of thyroid diseases - from a banal lack of iodine to the appearance of formations that are both benign and malignant. In this case, it is especially important to start timely treatment in order to avoid complications.
Also, one of the reasons for such a sensation of a lump in the throat may be the appearance of allergic reactions. As a rule, in parallel with this symptom, there is a feeling of itching in the eyes and nose, as well as a general weakness of the body. In such cases, it is necessary to take immediate measures to eliminate the causes of the allergy so as not to severely impair breathing.
Very often, such sensations can cause gastritis, in its initial stage, while people feel as if there is a hair at the very base of the tongue, and this has nothing to do with the absorption of food. Although it is worth noting that after eating food, these sensations intensify.
One of the most dangerous causes is the presence of formations in the throat. At the very beginning, patients begin to experience the sensation of the same hair in the throat, which gradually turns into the inability to fully breathe and eat food.

How to deal with the feeling of a foreign body in the throat

For many who are faced with this problem, it is important to know how to deal with this unpleasant sensation.

First, the sensation of a lump in the throat, which occurs as a symptom specific disease, can pass only after passing the course of treatment. If the reasons for this are of a different nature, then it is quite realistic to eliminate them yourself.

It is very important for each person to know how to get rid of the presence of a foreign body in the throat, since no one is immune from the occurrence of such a problem. As a rule, a bone stuck in the throat becomes such a foreign body. In this situation, your actions must be extremely careful not to damage the mucous membrane with sharp edges.

To begin with, you should drink something viscous, for example, kefir, yogurt, or the usual liquid consistency puree. This is necessary in order to push through the stuck bone with minimal trauma to the throat. Another way is the well-known crust of bread, which is desirable to drink after eating. copious amounts warm water. Do not forget that pushing a stuck bone with solid food is fraught with injury to the mucous membrane, so this can be done if the stuck foreign body does not have sharp edges.

Regardless of how you pushed the stuck bone, you still need to carry out a disinfection procedure. For this, a decoction made on the basis of any medicinal herb, for example, chamomile, nettle or St. John's wort, can be very well suited, as they are considered a good antiseptic.

If all the methods did not bring the desired result, then you should immediately seek help from a specialist. If the bone could not penetrate too deeply, the doctor will be able to easily remove it with tweezers. Just don't try to do it yourself.

Very well, when there is a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, decoctions of medicinal herbs have proven themselves.

In those cases, if the foreign body turned out to be not a bone, but something else that your child could swallow, then it should be immediately sent to a specialist.

If you have such a sensation of a lump in your throat due to any exciting situations, then we advise you to always have a bottle of ordinary water with you, which will prevent the further occurrence of such an unpleasant sensation. It is worth noting that you should start drinking water immediately when nervous conditions occur, and not wait until you feel a lump in your throat. Very helpful in such cases. natural preparations on herbs that need to be washed down with plenty.

If the feeling of a foreign body in the throat is associated with an infection or with common colds of the throat, then along with the usual treatment, it is recommended to use drugs such as:

Stopangin;
Strepsils.

Lozenges that need to be slowly absorbed will also alleviate discomfort in the throat.

Very well in such cases, rinsing with decoctions of chamomile or a solution of iodine or sea salt helps.

To summarize: any causes that caused the sensation of a lump in the throat can be both household and medical in nature. But, despite this, it is necessary to immediately identify the causes of this and take appropriate measures to eliminate them.

At least once in a lifetime, everyone has encountered this frightening condition, but not always. this phenomenon is a symptom of a serious illness. A lump in the throat refers to a condition where the throat seems to be squeezed, it is difficult to breathe, swallow, and salivation increases. In most cases, the feeling of a coma is a muscle spasm caused by a nerve impulse. Perhaps the occurrence of this sensation due to swelling or accumulation of viscous mucus and other secretions.

The reasons

Why does the so-called lump appear? There are many reasons for feeling a lump in the throat, some of them are:

nervous factor: strong feelings, stress, feeling of fright, panic attacks;
diseases of the respiratory system: pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis;
allergic reaction;
this phenomenon is often observed during pregnancy;
thyroid disease;
osteochondrosis;
diseases of the stomach (reflux of acid from the stomach into the throat).

Namely, based on established cause, worth, directly, start treatment given symptom, which will be able to alleviate or completely remove the unpleasant sensation.

Treatment

Nerves

Serious nervous disorders, such as panic attacks, can be treated with the help of a neurologist and a psychoanalyst; unfortunately, this ailment cannot be overcome on its own. We need special psychological procedures, techniques and drugs for the treatment of the nervous system. Undoubtedly, constant complaints, characteristic behavior (shaking hands, pale, almost white skin, severe emotional state) is one of those cases when it is worth sounding the alarm.

If a lump in the throat subsequently became a strong feeling of fear, feelings before a speech, an exam, a visit to a medical institution, then the feeling of a coma will disappear on its own, immediately, after completion unpleasant procedure or exciting event. Treatment, in this situation, will not be needed, but this condition can be prevented by taking sedatives.

Respiratory diseases

A lump in the throat, with inflammation of its tissues, occurs in everyone. Usually, this symptom is reinforced by other symptoms, characteristic, for example, of pharyngitis:

red throat,
sore throat, aggravated by swallowing;
tickle,
a violent cough with heavy expectoration, or if it does come out as white mucus, possibly streaked with brown or red. Brown, greenish, white with green color of expectorant mucus indicates an infectious cause of the disease;
mucus flowing down the back wall, or dried in the same location;
runny nose, with discharge in the form of white or clear mucus;
slight increase in body temperature.

It is necessary to treat pharyngitis comprehensively and depending on the established cause of the disease: gargling, taking antiseptic preparations, and also, at the request of the doctor, antibiotics or antiviral agents. In this case, the cause of the uncomfortable feeling is precisely the mucus, which must be washed with rinses, softened with inhalations and reduced with special preparations. With pharyngitis, treatment is also required for the concomitant runny nose, because the mucus that enters the throat from the nose can cause the infection to join and spread further when trying to swallow. Why are frequent nasal lavages with saline and the use of vasoconstrictor drops prescribed.

The danger of a lump of mucus lies in its sudden separation, often at night, which is extremely unsafe due to the threat of suffocation.

The symptoms of this inflammation during pregnancy require a special approach in treatment, when pharyngitis appears as a result hormonal adjustment organism.

Atrophic pharyngitis, if the treatment is ignored, gives a feeling of a foreign body due to spasms and tissue death. On examination, white or yellowish areas of atrophy are visible.

As the cause of the feeling of a lump, angina can act, you can recognize it by:

rise in temperature to 39°С,
severe headache and acute pain in the throat, especially painful sensations when swallowing,
inflammation of the tonsils
cough with white sputum and purulent discharge;
white or white-yellow coating on the tonsils,
edema palatine arches,
bad breath.

The symptoms of sore throat are treated with antibiotics, local antiseptics, rinses with an antiseptic. It is important to remove the intoxication of the body, which is the cause of headaches, nausea and dizziness. The temperature is brought down by antipyretics.

In this case, that lump is a white bacterial coating or swelling of the throat.

It happens that a feeling of tightness in the throat is justified by the ingress of a foreign body, characteristic of children in the first years of life, or by the development of a tumor. The otolaryngologist, after studying the symptoms, sends the patient to pharyngoscopy to examine the pharyngeal cavity.

Allergic reaction

There is a lump in the throat with the development of a serious allergic reaction in the form of swelling of the throat. In this case, you should act immediately. For quick relief of symptoms, Suprastin or Dexamethasone is suitable.

Allergic edema during pregnancy needs special urgency in hospital treatment, since the health of two people at once is at stake.

Pregnancy

A lump in the throat worries even with such a seemingly inviolable period of pregnancy. The feeling that it becomes impossible to breathe, difficulty in swallowing and the constant desire to cough up this lump bring a lot of inconvenience to the expectant mother.

This condition is associated with nervous experiences during pregnancy due to upcoming birth, research, analysis or life emotional situations that are perceived differently by a woman during the tender period of pregnancy. And, otherwise, the feeling of a lump during pregnancy may be due to the same reasons listed above. So veiled, the endocrine system can also be disturbed, in particular, a growing goiter due to hormonal changes, and cervical osteochondrosis.

A particular difficulty during pregnancy arises in the selection of drugs to alleviate discomfort, because many effective remedies, in a simple way, are prohibited due to possible harm for an unborn baby. Therefore, in the presence of mucus in the throat, frequent gargling, nebulizer inhalation and pharyngeal sanitation are recommended without contraindications during pregnancy. With osteochondrosis, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment with a chiropractor, which will also be useful for the lower back, suffering from a growing load during pregnancy.

Osteochondrosis

By the way, the appearance of a lump in the throat with osteochondrosis is a fairly common occurrence. Blame, in this case, circulatory disorders, due to changes in the cervical spine, due to which there is a feeling of the presence of a foreign body. It may be accompanied by pain, limited movement of the neck, or infectious lesions. Treatment is prescribed in connection with the severity of osteochondrosis, in best case – chiropractor, at worst - a neurosurgeon.

Chronic pharyngitis ( ) most often occurs in patients with caries, chronic pathologies nasal cavity, paranasal ( paranasal) sinuses, chronic tonsillitis ( inflammation palatine tonsils ), who frequently drink alcohol. Often this pathology occurs in smokers, as well as in people who stay in adverse working conditions for a long time ( e.g. in cold weather or in gassed and/or dusty rooms).

postnasal syndrome

Post-nasal syndrome pathological condition, in which, as a result of certain pathologies of the nasal cavity, mucus begins to drain into the patient's throat ( snot). This can often be observed in vasomotor and allergic rhinitis ( inflammation of the nasal mucosa), sinusitis ( inflammation of the paranasal sinuses), tumors, anomalies in the development of the nose, tuberculosis or syphilis of the nasal cavity, etc. In some cases, the flow of snot into the pharynx can also occur with diseases of the nasopharynx ( adenoids, developmental anomalies and tumors).

Periodic entry of snot from the nasopharynx into the oropharynx and laryngopharynx ( and then into the trachea) causes the patient discomfort in the throat - perspiration, discomfort, feeling of a lump or foreign body. This happens due to the presence of components in the snot that irritate the mucous membrane of the throat ( the patient's own inflammatory substances, bacteria or viruses, their degradation products, etc.).

Paratonsillitis

Paratonsillitis is an inflammation of the tissues around the palatine tonsil. This pathology most often has a bacterial etiology ( cause of origin) and occurs, as a rule, when an infection spreads from an inflamed palatine tonsil with angina ( ) or chronic tonsillitis ( chronic inflammation of the palatine tonsils). Usually paratonsillitis develops as a result of a decrease in local immunity and the inability of cells of the immune system to remove harmful bacteria from the surface of the mucous membrane of the throat and oral cavity.

The sensation of a lump in the throat with paratonsillitis is associated with inflammatory processes occurring in this pathology. During such processes, various inflammatory substances are released, which have an irritating and edematous effect. They act on the tissues of the throat, as a result of which its mucous membrane swells and turns red, ulcers and plaque sometimes form on it due to the multiplication of pathogenic microbes.

Throat abscesses

In throat infections, harmful bacteria often melt ( corrode) of its tissue. If more superficial tissues are corroded ( e.g. mucous membrane), then ulcers form in the throat, and if deeper, then abscesses form ( cavities inside tissues filled with purulent masses). There are many types of throat abscesses ( ) and they differ in localization.

A paratonsillar abscess occurs in tissues that are located near the palatine tonsils. This type of abscess is the final stage of paratonsillitis ( inflammation of the peritoneal tissue), which, in turn, often appears due to the spread of pathogenic bacteria from the palatine tonsils in acute or chronic tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils). Thus, paratonsillar abscess can be considered as one of the complications of angina ( acute tonsillitis).

With a parapharyngeal abscess, the accumulation of pus occurs inside the lateral wall of the pharynx in the peripharyngeal space of the neck. Such abscesses are very dangerous, since important nerves pass in the peripharyngeal space of the neck ( glossopharyngeal, wandering, sublingual, etc.) and vessels ( internal carotid artery). A parapharyngeal abscess usually develops as a result of the penetration of pathogenic microbes from neighboring anatomical structures ( teeth, ears, palatine tonsils, nasal mucosa or paranasal sinuses).

An epiglottic abscess appears in the region of the epiglottis, one of the cartilages of the larynx. It occurs due to epiglottitis ( inflammation of the epiglottis), often developing with mechanical, thermal, chemical injuries of the larynx, as well as with the spread of infection from the upper respiratory ( nasal cavity, nasopharynx) or digestive ( oral cavity) systems.

With all abscesses of the throat, a pronounced inflammation is observed in its mucous membrane, which often causes unpleasant and painful sensations in it. Patients with these abscesses often complain of significant difficulty swallowing, severe pain, burning, itching, and a sensation of a lump ( or foreign body) in the throat.

Nervous lump in throat

A lump in the throat can occur not only with organic pathology organs of the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, but also in certain emotional states ( fright, excitement, great joy, experience, grief, mixed feelings), mental disorders ( neurosis, hysteria, depression) and stress. The exact mechanism for the appearance of a lump in the throat in such cases has not yet been precisely established.

Some studies have found that in such situations ( for example, with stress, neurotic conditions, depression, etc.) pressure may increase in the area of the cricopharyngeal ( upper esophageal) sphincter and disturbed motility of the lower pharynx. Sometimes on emotional background or with mental disorders in a person, it can simply dry up in the throat. Excessive dryness can also lead to a sensation of a lump in the throat.

What to do if there is a sudden sensation of a lump in the throat?

In such cases, the first thing to consider additional symptoms (except for the sensation of a lump in the throat), as well as the conditions under which there was a sensation of a lump in the throat. If, for example, a patient has a sore throat, high fever, difficulty swallowing food, and in addition to a lump, there is irritation, burning, itching in the throat, headache, malaise, then most likely he has an exacerbation of a chronic inflammatory disease of the throat ( ). In this case, you should go for a consultation with an otolaryngologist.

You also need to turn to him if the feeling of a lump in the throat occurs simultaneously with nasal congestion, snoring at night, pathological discharge from the nose, pain and dryness in the nose, nosebleeds, fever. These signs often indicate postnasal syndrome.

When the feeling of a lump in the throat suddenly appeared against the background of stress, anxiety, fear, excitement, then you should try to calm down. If this does not help, then you can drink a sedative. In the absence of effect, you should go to a psychotherapist. In certain situations, severe emotional upheavals cause various mental disorders in a person ( depression, hysteria, neurosis). In these cases, you should seek help from either a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist.

If the patient drank something very hot or any poison ( acid or alkali), it is necessary to call as soon as possible ambulance, which will take him to the department of surgery or gastroenterology.

If the sensation of a lump in the throat is combined with a violation of swallowing food, an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, belching, abdominal pain, bloating, heaviness in the stomach, burning pain in the lower part of the sternum ( or upper abdomen), decreased appetite, then most likely he has some kind of problem in the gastrointestinal system ( and particularly in the esophagus or stomach). To find out what kind of pathology caused the sensation of a lump in the throat in such cases, you need to seek qualified help from a gastroenterologist.

When there is a sensation of a lump in the throat, along with pain that occurs when swallowing food and sore throat, as well as with a white coating on the mucous membrane of the mouth ( on cheeks, palate, tongue, tonsils, gums, etc.) you need to go for a consultation with a gastroenterologist, since, most likely, these signs indicate that the patient has oral candidiasis.

A gastroenterologist or otolaryngologist, when examining a patient, can detect certain pathologies ( for example, enlargement of the thyroid gland, tumors or abscesses of the throat, diverticulum of the esophagus, etc.), the treatment of which is not within his competence, then he can refer the patient for a consultation with another specialist ( rheumatologist, endocrinologist, surgeon, etc.).

You should know that when you feel a lump in your throat self-treatment, in most cases, turns out to be ineffective due to the fact that the patient often misinterprets this or that symptomatology, as a result of which he tries to recover by using the wrong drugs. This happens because many diseases of the throat have similar symptoms, which are not always easy to interpret for the ignorant in their features ( diseases) clinical course to a person.

In addition, the identification diagnostics) of many pathologies of the throat is based not only on taking into account certain symptoms, but also on data from instrumental and laboratory studies. Therefore, if you feel a lump in your throat, the patient is advised to immediately seek help from a doctor.

Doctors to contact if you feel a lump in your throat

*Doctor's specialty*	*What pathologies does it diagnose and treat? this specialist?*
*Otolaryngologist*	chronic inflammatory diseases of the throat ( pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis); postnasal syndrome; paratonsillitis.
*Gastroenterologist*	achalasia ( ) cardia ( lower esophageal sphincter); gastroesophageal reflux disease; diverticulum of the esophagus; hiatal hernia ( ); oral candidiasis; burns of the pharynx and esophagus; diffuse spasm of the esophagus.
*Psychotherapist, psychiatrist*	mental disorders; emotional turmoil.
*Endocrinologist*	enlargement of the thyroid gland.
*Surgeon*	throat tumors pharynx, larynx, esophagus); throat abscesses paratonsillar, parapharyngeal, epiglottis); burns of the pharynx and esophagus; diverticulum of the esophagus; hiatal hernia ( hiatal hernia).
*Rheumatologist*	systemic scleroderma.

Diagnosis of the causes of a lump in the throat

Diagnosis of the causes of the appearance of a lump in the throat most often includes an assessment of the patient's complaints, his external examination ( the general condition of the patient, the color of the skin, their integrity, physique, etc.), internal inspection his throat, oral cavity, as well as holding instrumental ( radiography, ultrasound, etc.) and laboratory ( for example, complete blood count, microbiological, immunological analysis, etc.) research.

Diagnosis of achalasia cardia

With achalasia cardia, there is a violation of swallowing food ( both solid and liquid), sensation of a lump and discomfort in the throat, nausea, vomiting, pain in the central part of the chest, loss of appetite, body weight. In the process of eating, food often enters the respiratory tract, which causes paroxysmal cough, shortness of breath. These patients often develop complications - esophagitis ( ), aspiration pneumonia ( inflammation of the lungs that occurs when food is thrown into them), esophageal cancer, esophageal diverticulum, etc.

Contrast radiography is used to confirm the diagnosis of this pathology ( with barium sulfate), which reveals a violation of the promotion of the contrast mass through the esophagus ( due to impaired opening of the lower esophageal sphincter). Also, endoscopic examination is prescribed for the diagnosis of achalasia of the esophagus ( esophagogastroduodenoscopy) of the esophagus, which allows assessing the state of its mucous membrane, the patency of the esophageal tube and identifying the presence of pathological structures and developmental anomalies in it.

Often, in addition to the above two methods, patients with suspected achalasia of the cardia undergo esophagomanometry ( used to determine the pressure in the cavity of the esophagus, as well as to assess its motility).

Diagnosis of systemic scleroderma

In addition to the feeling of a lump in the throat and difficulty in swallowing food, systemic scleroderma may cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, belching, bad breath, and abdominal pain ( and/or breasts), constipation ( stool retention), flatulence ( bloating), weight loss. All these symptoms are signs that this disease affects not only the esophagus in the gastrointestinal system, but also the stomach with intestines.

Systemic scleroderma is also characterized by skin lesions ( dense swelling of the skin different areas body, the occurrence of subcutaneous microhemorrhages), kidneys, heart, muscles ( fatigue, muscle pain), joints ( pain and swelling in the joints, stiffness in joint movements), lungs ( cough, shortness of breath, chest pain) and other organs and tissues.

With it, Raynaud's phenomenon very often appears, which is characterized by periodic, symmetrical, bilateral blanching ( and, in some cases, blueing) fingers, due to spasm of their vessels.

AT general analysis blood anemia occurs in such patients ( decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin), an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR), an increase in the number of leukocytes ( less often their decrease). Urinalysis can reveal increased content erythrocytes, protein, leukocytes, which indicates the involvement of the renal tissue in the pathological process. An immunological laboratory blood test can detect antibodies to the centromere, to Scl-70 and to the antinuclear factor ( ANF).

To detect damage dysmotility, pathological narrowing and expansion, etc.) in the gastrointestinal system ( esophagus, stomach, intestines) make a contrast radiography with barium sulfate. The X-ray method is also used to detect pathological changes in the lungs, bones and joints of the extremities. Electrocardiography (ECG) is used to detect cardiac lesions. ECG) and echocardiography ( type of ultrasound).

Diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease

In addition to a lump in the throat, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease may present a large number of different complaints to the doctor. These complaints can be divided into gastrointestinal ( heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, belching, bloating, heaviness in the stomach, etc.), respiratory ( cough, respiratory failure, sore throat, etc.), cardiovascular ( chest pain). Patients with this pathology often suffer from sinusitis ( ), pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx), otitis ( inflammation of the middle ear), pneumonia ( inflammation of the lung tissue).

In addition to assessing the symptoms of such patients, it is necessary to conduct intraesophageal pH-metry, through which it is possible to determine the acidity of the contents thrown into the esophagus, whether these contents belong to the gastric or intestinal, and to determine the daily frequency and duration of gastroesophageal ( gastroesophageal) reflux ( backcasts).

With Zenker's diverticulum of considerable size on the neck, palpation can detect its local swelling, which has a soft texture and decreases with digital compression ( pressure). Other types of esophageal diverticula cannot be detected by palpation.

To confirm or refute the diagnosis of esophageal diverticulum, contrast radiography of the esophagus with barium sulfate, as well as its endoscopic examination ( esophagogastroduodenoscopy). Sometimes such patients are prescribed x-rays and computed tomography of the chest to exclude comorbidities, which could be the direct cause of esophageal diverticulum.

Diagnosis of hiatal hernia ( hiatal hernia)

Hiatal hernia is characterized by the occurrence of strong burning pains in the area of the lower sternum and upper abdomen, which often radiate ( spread) in left hand and back. With such a hernia, heartburn, bloating, feeling of a lump in the throat, heaviness in the stomach, belching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite are often observed.

To confirm the diagnosis, the patient should be assigned plain and contrast radiography of the esophagus ( as well as the lower parts of the digestive tube), which easily detect its displacement upwards into the chest cavity, along with other organs abdominal cavity. Sometimes intraesophageal pH-metry is performed ( for the study of acidity in the esophageal cavity), esophagomanometry ( to study the muscular-contractile ability of the esophagus).

Diagnosis of burns of the pharynx and esophagus

Burns of the pharynx and esophagus are accompanied by severe and acute pain in the throat and chest, cough, difficulty in swallowing food, respiratory failure ( due to inflammatory edema of the larynx). Perspiration, itching, burning, sensation of a lump may also appear in the throat area ( or foreign body). When examining the mucous membrane of the esophagus and pharynx using pharyngoscopy ( examination of the pharynx with a special mirror) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy ( endoscopic examination of the gastrointestinal system) you can detect its redness, swelling. On their mucous membrane, as a rule, there are numerous scabs ( crusts) and sores.

The color of the scabs depends on the traumatic agent that caused the burn. For example, when thermal burns pharynx and esophagus, white scabs appear on the mucous membrane, with burns caused by certain acids ( hydrochloric, sulfuric) they ( scabs) are black or brown in color. In the later periods of such injuries, when the damaged areas of the pharynx and esophagus healed, a large number of scars and irregularities can be detected on the surface of their mucous membrane. In the cavity of the esophagus, between its walls, adhesions are often formed ( adhesions), strictures may occur in it ( narrowing of the walls), impaired motility and peristalsis.

Diagnosis of diffuse spasm of the esophagus

Primary ( congenital) diffuse spasm of the esophagus is diagnosed on the basis of characteristic symptoms (sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing food or saliva, chest pain) and some instrumental research methods ( endoscopic, contrast radiography, esophagomanometry of the esophagus). Symptoms that appear with this pathology may be short-lived and disappear imperceptibly, for example, when drinking a small amount of warm liquid.

With contrast radiography, it is quite easy to identify areas of expansion ( where the muscles of the esophagus are relaxed) and narrowing ( where the muscles of the esophagus, on the contrary, are spasmodic) of the esophageal tube, which is on the radiograph ( photograph taken after x-ray) gives a picture of a corkscrew or a rosary. With the help of esophagomanometry diffuse spasm esophagus usually show a disturbance of normal esophageal peristalsis with periods of hyperspasm ( excessive reduction) of its walls.

Secondary esophagospasm ( spasm of the esophagus) is not an independent pathology, but only one of the complications of the pathologies that could cause it ( diabetes, cholelithiasis, hiatal hernia, stress, etc.).

Diagnosis of oral candidiasis

For candidiasis of the oral cavity, in addition to the sensation of a lump in the throat, the presence of white plaque on the oral mucosa on the cheeks, tongue, palate, tonsils, gums, etc.), itching, burning, dry mouth, pain when swallowing food, sore throat. The mucous membrane of the mouth, as a rule, is red, swollen, covered with small ulcers, and the corners of the mouth are striated with small cracks. These patients may also present with cough, fever, headache, weakness, malaise.

To confirm the presence of candidiasis of the oral cavity and throat, a mycological examination of the pathological material taken during scraping of their mucous membrane is prescribed. For the diagnosis of candidiasis ( fungal) esophagitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus) apply endoscopic examination of the esophagus, and also conduct a biopsy of its wall for further cytological analysis.

Diagnosis of tumors of the throat

The main problem in the diagnosis of throat tumors is their late detection in the patient. Basically, the symptoms of this pathology begin to appear when the tumor reaches a significant size. The presence of a large neoplasm in the throat dramatically reduces the effectiveness medical measures, including those used to prevent its metastasis ( spread of tumor particles throughout the body).

The main symptoms of tumors localized in the esophagus, larynx or pharynx can be pain, itching, burning, discomfort, a lump in the throat, unpleasant taste sensations, hoarseness of voice, impaired swallowing ( dysphagia), weight loss, impaired nasal breathing, congestion in the ears, shortness of breath, persistent cough.

The presence of a tumor in the throat can be confirmed by pharyngoscopy ( examination of the throat with a special mirror), as well as ray ( radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging), endoscopic and laboratory ( cytological examination of a piece pathological tissue ) research methods.

Diagnosis of pathologies accompanied by enlargement of the thyroid gland

In addition to feeling a lump in the throat, patients with an enlarged thyroid gland may complain of difficulty in swallowing food, coughing, respiratory failure, shortness of breath, dizziness, and the presence of a mass in the neck in front. Sometimes they may be disturbed by pain in the area of the thyroid gland. In addition, depending on the cause of the enlarged thyroid gland ( a decrease in its function or, conversely, an increase), symptoms may be observed.

If an enlarged thyroid gland ( thyroid gland) is caused by hyperthyroidism ( ), then patients may experience amenorrhea ( lack of menstruation in women), gynecomastia ( male breast enlargement), anxiety, irritability, irritability, increased appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, fatigue, palpitations, increased blood pressure, fever, etc.

With hypothyroidism ( ) often there are violations in the work of the central nervous system ( central nervous system), such as memory loss, depressive states, lethargy, drowsiness. Also, in such patients, the work of the heart is disturbed ( decrease in heart rate, pressure), organs of the gastrointestinal system ( nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, etc.), ovaries ( lack of menstruation, infertility). Their body temperature decreases, obesity develops, high sensitivity to cold appears, jaundice ( yellowing of the skin), the skin becomes dry, the hair becomes brittle, anemia occurs ( decrease in the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the blood).

Quite often, with hypothyroidism, myxedematous edema develops ( puffiness of the face, eyelids, hoarse voice, an increase in the size of the tongue, swelling of the limbs, hearing loss, etc.).

The main types of tests that can confirm the enlargement of the thyroid gland in size and identify its cause are laboratory blood tests for the concentration of thyroid hormones in it ( thyroxine, triiodothyronine) and ultrasound ( ultrasound). The latter is quite informative and is used to detect structural anomalies in the thyroid gland, as well as to identify volumetric formations in it ( such as cysts, tumors, etc.).

When the thyroid gland is enlarged, scintigraphy is sometimes used ( radioisotope scanning ) to assess the degree of its functionality. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may also be prescribed to diagnose thyroid cancer.

Diagnosis of chronic inflammatory diseases of the throat

Diagnosis of chronic inflammatory diseases of the throat, mainly consists of an assessment of the patient's complaints, certain history data ( for example, harmful conditions labor, alcohol intake, smoking, hypothermia, sore throats, etc.) and the results of a clinical examination of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, larynx and palatine tonsils. It should be noted that the diagnosis of a particular throat disease cannot be made only on the basis of symptoms, since their symptoms are in many ways similar and the same symptoms ( e.g. sore throat) can appear in several different pathologies.

The characteristic symptoms of chronic pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx) are pain, itching, dryness, burning, itching in the throat, sensation of a lump in the throat, cough, hypersalivation ( increased salivation ). With pharyngoscopy ( ) can reveal redness and swelling of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, its thickening, the presence of cloudy mucus. In some cases, on the contrary, it becomes thinner. This occurs with an atrophic form of chronic pharyngitis. With this form, the mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes pale or pale pink color and loses the ability to secrete mucus, as a result of which it becomes dry.

The main symptoms of chronic tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils) are soreness, itching, itching, dryness and foreign body sensation ( lump) in the throat, bad breath in the mouth, increased lymph nodes. When examining the palatine tonsils, their redness, swelling is always found, on their surface it is often possible to reveal yellow oval or rounded formations in the lacunae of the tonsils. Often, with this pathology, redness and swelling of the palatine arches occur, in certain situations they form adhesions ( stick together) with palatine tonsils.

With chronic laryngitis ( ) patients most often report the presence of sore throat, changes in voice, persistent cough and feeling of a lump in the throat. During laryngoscopy clinical examination pharyngeal cavity) can reveal thickening and redness of the mucous membrane of the larynx.

For all these pathologies chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis) possible symptoms of intoxication of the body, such as fever, weakness, headache, malaise, pain in the joints, muscles, dizziness, decreased ability to work.

In order to identify a pathogenic agent in chronic inflammatory diseases of the throat, patients are often prescribed the passage of a microbiological laboratory test.

Diagnosis of postnasal syndrome

The feeling of a lump in the throat with postnasal syndrome, as a rule, fades into the background. The symptoms characteristic of the pathology of the nasal cavity always come to the fore. They can be nasal congestion, snot from the nose, pain and dryness in the nose, nosebleeds, snoring at night. For diseases of the nose, symptoms of intoxication of the body are also characteristic ( headache, fever, malaise, weakness, muscle and joint pain, etc.). In addition, with postnasal syndrome, coughing, shortness of breath, pain, burning, itching, itching in the throat, and voice changes may occur. Such patients often expectorate ( spit) pathological discharge coming from the nose to the throat ( snot).

To confirm that a patient has postnasal syndrome, the doctor needs to identify any pathology in the nasal cavity ( or in the nasopharynx). To do this, he performs anterior and posterior rhinoscopy ( inspection of the nasal cavity from the front and from the side of the nasopharynx), and also assigns the passage of radial ( radiography, computed tomography) and laboratory ( ) research.

Rhinoscopy helps the attending physician to identify inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose and / or nasopharynx, to detect pathological contents on it ( snot, pus). Even with this study, volumetric formations can be detected in the nasal cavity and nasopharynx ( tumors, adenoids) or their structural anomalies.

Radiation research methods ( radiography, computed tomography) are often used in the diagnosis of sinusitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses), tumors of the nose and nasopharynx, adenoids. They help to accurately identify the localization of the pathological process, assess the degree of damage to surrounding tissues and structures, determine the severity of the disease and the tactics of further treatment.

Laboratory methods ( microbiological, cytological, serological examination ) are commonly used to pinpoint the pathogenic microbe that caused the nasal disease.

In the diagnosis of postnasal symptoms, pharyngoscopy is important ( inspection of the pharynx) to rule out pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx), which may be a consequence of ( complication) nasal diseases ( since snot flowing down the throat can cause inflammation of its mucous membrane) and can also cause a sensation of a lump in the throat. The detection of pharyngitis is one of the factors determining the tactics of correct and effective treatment.

Diagnosis of paratonsillitis

With paratonsillitis, there is pain, burning, perspiration, sensation of a lump in the throat, lockjaw ( strong contraction of the chewing muscles of the jaws), difficulty in swallowing food, weakness, nasality, fever, decreased performance, soreness in muscles and joints, a feeling of weakness. Pain in the throat is often aggravated by turning, rotating the head. They often radiate spread) on the teeth and ears.

An external examination of the patient can reveal enlarged lymph nodes. When examining the throat, one can easily detect redness and swelling of the tissues located near the palatine tonsils. Quite often, an increase in the palatine tonsils themselves can be detected, since paratonsillitis is often combined with tonsillitis ( acute inflammation of the palatine tonsils) or chronic tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils). On the surface of the palatine tonsils in such cases, the presence of yellow-white plaques and ulcers can be detected.

In order to diagnose paratonsillitis, it is also used microbiological research discharge from the mucous membrane of the throat to identify the type of pathogens that caused it.

Throat Abscess Diagnosis

Abscesses in the throat may cause pain ( which quite often spreads to the ears, teeth), difficulty swallowing, breathing, bad breath, voice change ( hoarseness), fever, chills, headache, malaise, swollen lymph nodes ( submandibular, cervical), shortness of breath. As a result of severe swelling of the tissues in the throat ( due to inflammation) such patients often have a sensation of a lump ( or foreign body) in the throat. Sometimes in this area there may be perspiration, burning, itching. Pain can appear not only in the throat, but also outside it, for example, in the neck, especially when bending or turning in different directions of the head.

The diagnosis of this pathology is based on characteristic symptoms (which were given above) and pharyngoscopy results ( inspection of the pharynx) and laryngoscopy ( examination of the larynx). The results of the last two studies should indicate that the patient has a significant swelling of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and / or larynx, its redness and the presence of an abscess on one of the walls of these anatomical formations in the form of a volumetric cone-shaped formation with a yellowish apex. As additional research the attending physician may prescribe the patient to undergo computed tomography of the cervical region to assess the degree of damage to the tissues surrounding the abscess.

Diagnosis of feeling a lump in the throat on a nervous basis

A lump in the throat against the background of emotional states ( with fear, grief, anxiety, excitement) and mental disorders ( during depression, neurosis, hysteria) or stress is much more common in females. In such situations, this symptom may be combined with a feeling of lack of air ( due to spasm of the muscles of the pharynx), dryness in the throat or mouth, perspiration, burning, soreness in the throat. Sometimes there may be numbness of the lips, tongue, tightness in the neck.

It is very important that under such conditions ( emotions, mental disorders, stress) there is no violation of swallowing, in contrast to organic diseases of the pharynx and esophagus ( diverticulum of the esophagus, hiatal hernia of the esophagus, tumors of the throat, chronic pharyngitis, etc.), which can also cause a lump in the throat.

Pain when swallowing which are more often characteristic of infectious inflammatory diseases of the throat) are also absent. In addition, a lump in the throat may disappear after drinking a liquid or food, thanks to which it can be concluded that it is of a neurological nature. There were cases when a lump in the throat passed without a trace with a strong cry.

Treatment of the causes of a lump in the throat

The way to eliminate the sensation of a lump in the throat always depends on the cause that caused it. A lump in the throat can be treated both medically and non-pharmacologically ( surgically). Surgical methods, in most cases, treat a lump in the throat caused by a diverticulum of the esophagus, hiatal hernia, a tumor or abscess of the throat, etc. With the help of medicines, a lump in the throat provoked by gastroesophageal reflux disease, oral candidiasis, chronic pharyngitis, etc. is usually eliminated. In any case, the treatment of each of the causes of a lump in the throat should be considered separately, since not always any particular pathology can be treated with only one type of treatment ( medical or surgical).

Treatment of achalasia cardia

Achalasia cardia, in most cases, is treated surgically. In mild clinical cases, the so-called endoscopic balloon dilatation of the lower esophageal sphincter is used ( cardia). In this procedure, a deflated balloon is delivered to the cardia through the esophagus, which is then inflated with air, which allows the lumen of the cardia to expand. After that, the air is pumped back out of the balloon and the balloon itself is taken out. This procedure is absolutely harmless, but often, some time after its implementation, such patients need to be repeated. In severe clinical cases, especially when endoscopic balloon dilatation of the cardia does not help the patient, cardiotomy is used ( that is, partially or completely remove the cardia).

Treatment of systemic scleroderma

Systemic scleroderma is treated with glucocorticoids ( anti-inflammatory steroids) and immunosuppressants ( reduce the activity of the immune system). The use of these two groups of funds is the basis of successful therapy. In addition to them, depending on the defeat of certain organs, various groups of symptomatic drugs are used. For example, when the esophagus is damaged, prokinetics are prescribed ( improve his motor skills) and antisecretory drugs ( reduce the production of gastric juice), if the heart is damaged, cardiac glycosides are prescribed ( stimulate cardiac activity) and diuretics ( diuretics).

In case of violation of swallowing food is prescribed fractional nutrition in small portions, exclude eating after 6 pm. Hard, indigestible foods, foods and drinks containing caffeine and a lot of fat are removed from the diet. Such patients are advised to avoid alcohol, smoking, stress, cold. During sleep ( or just while lying down) it is necessary to lift the head end of the bed up. This improves the movement of food through the esophagus and helps to eliminate the sensation of a lump in the throat.

Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Important points in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease are non-drug and drug treatment. The first includes the organization of the diet ( elimination from the diet of fatty and sweet foods, alcohol, citrus fruits, coffee, carbonated drinks, etc.) and lifestyle ( refusal of physical activity that increases intra-abdominal pressure, smoking, the fight against obesity, etc.).

Antacids are usually prescribed as a medical treatment for such patients ( neutralize hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach), prokinetics ( drugs that stimulate motility in the gastrointestinal system) and antisecretory ( reduce the secretion of gastric juice) drugs. In the absence of positive results of the use of non-drug and drug treatment, surgical intervention is indicated.

Treatment of esophageal diverticulum

Surgical treatment of this pathology immediately eliminates all the symptoms observed with it. It consists of a diverticulectomy ( that is, removing or excising the diverticulum itself from the esophagus) and further artificial restoration of its wall at the site of the diverticulum cut.

In the lung stage of this disease, they resort to conservative treatment, which cannot completely eliminate it, but is necessary to prevent its progression. This treatment consists in organizing correct mode food ( the use of non-rigid food, which has certain temperature and chemical characteristics, drinking large volumes of liquid, etc.) and prescribing to the patient constant rinsing of the oral cavity with antiseptic solutions.

Hiatal hernia treatment ( hiatal hernia)

The most effective treatment for this pathology is surgical recovery the correct anatomical location of the esophagus and the organs of the gastrointestinal system following it ( stomach and intestines), as well as other organs of the abdominal cavity.

In mild clinical cases, drug treatment is used. For this purpose, antisecretory ( reduce gastric secretions) drugs, antacids ( bind stomach acid) and prokinetics ( stimulate gastrointestinal motility). These drugs prevent the adverse effects of gastric juice on the mucosa of the esophagus, thereby reducing the possibility of esophagitis ( inflammation of the esophageal mucosa). They also speed up the passage of food through the gastrointestinal tube.

Treatment of burns of the pharynx and esophagus

With chemical burns of the pharynx and esophagus, it is necessary to neutralize the poison that caused them in the first six hours. For this, the patient is given an antidote ( antidote), the choice of which always depends on the type of poison that caused the chemical burn. For example, for acid burns, the patient is prescribed gastric lavage with a solution of sodium bicarbonate, for burns with caustic alkalis, the patient is given weakly concentrated acid solutions ( lemon, vinegar, etc.). With an unknown chemical traumatic agent, gastric lavage is performed with plain water or milk.

With thermal burns of the pharynx and esophagus, the patient needs to drink a certain amount as soon as possible ( about 0.5 - 1 liter) cool water. Damaged areas of the oral cavity are lubricated with a 5% solution of potassium permanganate ( potassium permanganate). It is also necessary to gargle with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

In severe burns of the mucous membranes of the pharynx and esophagus, analgesics are prescribed ( painkillers), antibiotics ( to prevent infection of the affected mucous membranes), detoxification and antishock drugs ( to remove harmful toxins and normalize the amount of fluid in the body) and a sparing diet ( sometimes parenteral nutrition ). With the development of stenosis ( persistent and severe narrowing of the lumen) of the esophagus resort to surgical treatment to restore its normal patency.

Treatment of diffuse spasm of the esophagus

With congenital diffuse spasm of the esophagus, calcium channel blockers are prescribed ( diltiazem, nifedipine), nitrates ( isosorbide mononitrate), antispasmodics ( no-shpa, papaverine hydrochloride). All these remedies help to eliminate spasms and relax the muscles in the wall of the esophagus. In some cases, balloon dilatation of the esophagus is undertaken ( that is, a deflated balloon is inserted into the esophagus, and then it is inflated, thereby expanding the lumen of the esophagus). Acquired esophagospasm ( spasm of the esophagus) the success of its elimination mainly depends on the effectiveness of measures to eliminate the main disease that caused it.

Treatment of oral candidiasis

Oral and throat candidiasis as well as the esophagus) is treated with antimycotics ( antifungal agents). Preference is given to nystatin, amphotericin, levorin and fluconazole. The cure usually occurs within 7 - 14 days - it all depends on the prevalence of harmful fungi, on their number and the normal functioning of the patient's immune system.

Treatment of throat tumors

Throat tumors are treated with surgery, radiation ( irradiation of the tumor with ionizing electromagnetic radiation ) and chemical ( the use of special drugs that kill tumor cells and inhibit their development and growth) methods. The choice of method depends on each specific case. A decisive role in the choice of a particular method is played by the type of tumor ( malignant or benign), its size, the presence of metastases, lesions of surrounding tissues, the patient's condition, the presence of contraindications to certain kind treatment, etc.

Treatment of pathologies that cause an increase in the thyroid gland in size

Treatment depends on the cause of the enlarged thyroid gland. With hypothyroidism ( decreased thyroid function) prescribe thyroid hormones. With hyperthyroidism ( increased thyroid function) as a drug treatment, thyreostatic agents are used ( reduce thyroid function). With endemic goiter, iodine preparations are used in the treatment. For thyroid tumors, use surgical methods treatment or radioiodine therapy ( treatment with radioactive isotopes of iodine).

Treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases of the throat

Treatment of chronic laryngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx) consists in prescribing antibiotics ( penicillin, streptomycin, etc.) and anti-inflammatory drugs ( hydrocortisone). In the treatment of chronic tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils) wash the lacunae of the tonsils with the help of various antiseptic ( disinfecting) drugs ( potassium permanganate, furacilin, boric acid, iodine).

In some cases, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory substances, enzymes, sclerosing agents are injected into the affected tonsils. Also, patients with chronic tonsillitis are shown to undergo some physiotherapy procedures ( ultrahigh-frequency, superhigh-frequency therapy, etc.). In heavy clinical situations These patients require tonsillectomy that is, the complete removal of the inflamed tonsil).

With chronic pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx) prescribe gargling with antiseptics (, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs. All these drugs, as a rule, help to eliminate the infection, reduce inflammation in the nasal mucosa, reduce its swelling, redness, and thereby improve nasal breathing, reduce the secretion of snot into the throat.

In some cases ( for example, with tumors, anomalies in the development of the nose and nasopharynx, adenoids) drug treatment is ineffective, so doctors prescribe surgical treatment. If postnasal syndrome contributed to the development of pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx), then in addition to those drugs that are used in the treatment of the disease ( infectious) nose, prescribe gargling with antiseptic solutions.

Treatment of paratonsillitis

With paratonsillitis, medication is prescribed. It includes antibiotics ( e.g. erythromycin, clarithromycin, cefuroxime, penicillin, etc.) in tablets or injections and antiseptics in the form of mouth rinses. There are situations when tissues around the tonsil ( that is, those that are next to the amygdala) zones can suppurate. This is how a paratonsillar abscess appears ( cavity filled with pus). The most effective way to treat such a complication is its surgical opening, drainage and cleansing. Moreover, antibiotic therapy, as well as the use of antiseptics used to treat paratonsillitis, are not canceled in such cases.

Treatment of throat abscesses

Throat abscesses are treated only surgically. The essence of the operation is to cut the wall of the abscess, remove pus from its cavity, followed by its sanitation ( disinfection) solutions of antibiotics and antiseptics. In combination with surgical treatment, medication is also prescribed ( antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying agents, immunomodulators and gargling with solutions of various antiseptics).

Treatment of a lump in the throat that appeared on a nervous basis

If a lump in the throat appeared against the background of any emotional states ( fright, excitement, anxiety, grief, mixed feelings ), then in order to get rid of it, the patient just needs to calm down and this symptom should go away on its own. If, nevertheless, the patient is unable to independently bring his emotions back to normal, then he can be prescribed sedatives ( sedatives) funds ( for example, valerian, validol). In certain cases ( especially after severe emotional upheavals, severe stress ) sedatives may not be able to, then the patient should be referred for a consultation with a psychotherapist to take courses on psychocorrection ( psychological correction).

If the lump in the throat is caused by mental disorders ( neurosis, hysteria, depression), then such patients are treated with tranquilizers ( anti-anxiety drugs), sedatives ( soothing) drugs, antidepressants, B vitamins, beta-blockers ( reduce feelings of fear), sleeping pills. As a rule, a psychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychologist works with such patients. It all depends on the severity of the mental disorder.

Alternative methods of treating pathologies leading to the sensation of a lump in the throat

Alternative methods of treatment rarely help patients who have a sensation of a lump in the throat. First of all, this is due to the fact that a sufficiently large number of pathologies that cause this symptom can be effectively cured only with the help of surgical intervention.

Folk remedies can not be used for the following pathologies:

achalasia ( functional insufficiency ) cardia ( lower esophageal sphincter);
diverticulum of the esophagus;
hiatal hernia ( hiatal hernia);
burns of the pharynx and esophagus;
diffuse spasm of the esophagus;
throat tumors pharynx, larynx, esophagus);
throat abscesses paratonsillar, parapharyngeal, epiglottis).

Secondly, even if the patient has some pathologies ( eg, systemic scleroderma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, diffuse esophageal spasm, psychiatric disorders, postnasal drip), which do not require radical surgical interventions, for a more favorable effect ( treatment) he needs to use medications that have no analogues in traditional methods of treatment.

Folk remedies can be used in the treatment of oral candidiasis, inflammatory diseases of the throat ( paratonsillitis, chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis), as well as to calm the patient in some emotional states ( grief, fear, anxiety, etc.). In such cases, alternative methods of treatment do not always help patients, therefore, before using them, you should consult with a specialist doctor ( otolaryngologist, gastroenterologist, family doctor, etc.).

In chronic tonsillitis or paratonsillitis, inflamed palatine tonsils ( or tissue surrounding these tonsils) can be lubricated with aloe juice mixed with honey in a ratio of 3 to 1 for 2 weeks ( every day). It is recommended to repeat this procedure no more than 2-3 times a day. Also, in chronic tonsillitis and paratonsillitis, it is useful to constantly gargle with a solution prepared from water, baking soda, salt and iodine. To make such a solution, you need to take half a tablespoon of baking soda and salt and a few drops of iodine. All this should be placed in one glass of warm water, stir and gargle daily several times a day.

In chronic laryngitis, inhalations can be made from oak bark and viburnum bark. To do this, you need to take ten grams of the bark of each plant and put in one glass of boiling water and boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Such inhalations can be carried out several times a day. Also a good remedy for pharyngitis are inhalations with essential oils of eucalyptus, mint, thyme. Such patients can also gargle several times a day with fresh beet or potato juice.

In chronic pharyngitis, lubrication of the tonsils in the throat helps quite well ( or posterior pharynx) tincture of propolis. In order to prepare such an infusion, you need to take a 10% alcohol extract of propolis and mix it with glycerin ( or peach oil) in a ratio of 1 to 2. You can use this tincture as needed.

With candidiasis of the oral cavity, a decoction of St. John's wort or a decoction of wild rosemary helps well. The first can be prepared by placing one tablespoon of dry St. John's wort herb in one glass of water. Then this mixture must be boiled for 10 - 15 minutes and insist. To prepare the second decoction, pour 20 g of dry rosemary herb into one glass of water and also boil over low heat for 10 minutes, and then insist. Both tinctures are intended for rinsing the mouth. This rinse can be done every day ( 3 - 6 times a day).

A lump in the throat often occurs with certain emotions ( grief, fear, anxiety, etc.). To eliminate this symptom, the most important thing is complete calm. In some cases, the patient cannot do this himself. Therefore, sometimes he needs to accept something. One of the most effective folk sedatives is a tincture made from chamomile ( 2 parts), hawthorn ( 3 parts), motherwort ( 3 parts) and mint ( 2 parts). These herbs should be placed in 500 ml of boiling water, mixed, infused and filtered. To use tincture for calming should be 3 times a day.

Lump in throat and hard to breathe

In some cases, pathologies that cause a lump in the throat can simultaneously cause blockage of the lumen of the upper respiratory tract. This can often be observed with tumors of the throat ( pharynx, larynx, esophagus), with an enlarged thyroid gland, throat abscesses ( ). It may also occur in patients with nervous ground- with certain emotions with fear, grief, anxiety) or mental disorders ( depression, neurosis, hysteria).

The narrowing of the airway almost always causes a feeling of lack of air ( as the air enters the body in insufficient quantities). To compensate for this shortage, the patient tries to breathe more often, and also connects his mouth to the breathing process. So he gets short of breath. With systemic scleroderma, difficulty in breathing can also occur, but it is not associated with a narrowing of the airway lumen, but with damage to the lung tissue. The appearance of a lump in the throat with scleroderma is explained by damage to the walls of the esophagus and a violation of the movement of food through it, as a result of which it is difficult to swallow ( food just gets stuck in the throat and doesn't move on).

Lump in throat and hard to swallow

There are two types of patients with difficulty in swallowing and a sensation of a lump in the throat. In the first type, when swallowing food, intense pain occurs in the throat, so such patients try to eat less often ( liquid or solid) and complain of difficulty in swallowing. In the second type of patients, swallowing is not accompanied by pain in the throat. These people simply cannot swallow food because it simply does not move further through the digestive system. Such patients usually complain of food getting stuck in the throat.

In type 1 patients, difficulty swallowing and a sensation of a lump in the throat are most often caused by inflammatory diseases of the throat ( for example, chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, parapharyngeal or paratonsillar abscess, burns of the pharynx or esophagus, paratonsillitis, etc.). In patients of the second type, difficulty in swallowing food and a sensation of a lump in the throat are mainly provoked by some pathology of the esophagus ( for example, diverticulum of the esophagus, achalasia of the cardia, diffuse spasm of the esophagus, etc.), accompanied by a violation of his motility, narrowing of his lumen, the appearance of structural anomalies in it.

What pathologies cause pain and a lump in the throat?

Pain and a lump in the throat, as a rule, are signs of inflammatory diseases of the throat, accompanied by damage to its mucous membrane. They may be chronic pharyngitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx), tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils), laryngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx), paratonsillitis ( inflammation of the tissues surrounding the palatine tonsil). With these pathologies, pain is usually mild or moderate, and a lump in the throat may not always appear.

Severe pain in the throat is observed with abscesses of the throat ( paratonsillar, parapharyngeal, supraglottic). A lump in the throat with such abscesses is felt by patients much more often than with ordinary ones. inflammatory diseases throat.

Sore throat and lump in the throat are often associated with other diagnostically important symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, malaise, difficulty swallowing, breathing, bad breath, voice change ( hoarseness), swollen lymph nodes ( submandibular, cervical), shortness of breath, decreased performance, soreness in muscles and joints, feeling of weakness, perspiration, dryness, burning, itching in the throat.

Why does a lump appear in the throat after eating?

A lump in the throat after eating is the main indicator of a violation of the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal system. This symptom is often seen in various pathologies esophagus ( diffuse spasm of the esophagus, systemic scleroderma, insufficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter). With them, the muscular wall of the esophagus ceases to function normally, due to which the food gets stuck first in the cavity of the esophagus, and then in the throat itself, thereby causing a sensation of a lump in the throat.

With a diverticulum of the esophagus, an anomaly of the structure is observed in its structure in the form of a protrusion of its wall, as a result of which food often enters this formation and cannot move further. In the future, this leads to the accumulation of food, first in upper divisions esophagus, and then in the throat ( hence the sensation of a lump in the throat). With burns of the esophagus and gastroesophageal reflux disease, the mucous membrane of the esophagus is affected and inflamed. In certain cases, the healing of the stack after such pathologies may be accompanied by the appearance of strictures ( narrowing of its lumen) and spike ( adhesions) between its walls, which leads to its obstruction. Therefore, when eating food, it will not be able to pass through the esophagus normally and will gradually get stuck in the esophagus, and then in the throat. This is the main mechanism for the development of a sensation of a lump in the throat.

A lump in the throat can also occur in diseases accompanied by compression of the esophagus and narrowing of its lumen. Most often this occurs with a tumor of the throat ( pharynx, larynx, esophagus), crop ( enlargement of the thyroid gland), hiatal hernia ( hiatal hernia). In such situations, food cannot enter the lower esophagus, so it gets stuck in the throat, which causes a subjective sensation of a lump in the throat.

Why does a lump in the throat and cough occur?

Cough is defensive reaction body, aimed at cleansing the respiratory tract from various foreign substances. This reaction usually occurs when the nerve endings innervating the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract are irritated. Such irritation is often observed with its inflammation, which occurs with chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, postnasal syndrome, oral candidiasis, systemic scleroderma, burns of the pharynx. Damage to the mucosa in these cases is not only the cause of coughing, but also the sensation of a lump in the throat.

Certain throat conditions ( throat swelling, thyroid enlargement) can be accompanied by simultaneous compression ( compression) esophagus and respiratory tract ( larynx, pharynx, trachea), which leads to their obstruction. Narrowing of the esophagus leads to difficulty swallowing ( due to accumulation of food in the esophagus), food gets stuck in the throat, which causes a feeling of a lump in it. The narrowing of the airway lumen is accompanied by a reflex ( automatic) cough, as the body thinks that some foreign body has entered the lumen of the ways, causing obstruction ( blockage) of the respiratory tract and which must be removed ( by coughing).

Food in the throat can get stuck not only in diseases accompanied by compression of the esophagus, but also in esophageal diverticulum. Cough with diverticulum may develop due to the fact that part of the food stuck in the throat and creating a feeling of a lump in the throat ( This is exactly what happens with esophageal diverticulum.), can accidentally enter the respiratory tract, thereby causing irritation of their mucous membrane and causing coughing.

Why does a burp and a lump appear in the throat?

Belching is a condition in which gases escape from the stomach into the esophagus, and then through it these gases enter the oral cavity. Belching and a lump in the throat are most often signs that a patient has gastroesophageal reflux disease, in which not only gases enter the esophagus from the stomach, but also the rest of the gastric contents, which have a strong irritant on the mucosa of the esophagus.

Periodic ingestion of gastric contents into the esophagus causes esophagitis ( inflammation of the lining of the esophagus). due to reflux esophagitis that is, inflammation of the esophageal mucosa that occurs against the backdrop of reflux of stomach contents) in such patients there is a sensation of a lump in the throat. Belching and a lump in the throat can also occur with a hiatal hernia ( hiatal hernia) and systemic scleroderma. Both of these diseases can be accompanied by reflux esophagitis.

In what situations does perspiration and a lump in the throat occur?

Perspiration and a lump in the throat, as a rule, occur with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx. Therefore, perspiration and a lump in the throat are often observed in patients with chronic pharyngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx), tonsillitis ( inflammation of the palatine tonsils), laryngitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx), paratonsillitis, oral candidiasis. Quite often, this can be found in people with postnasal syndrome or burns of the pharynx. Sometimes these two symptoms can be seen with swelling of the throat ( pharynx, larynx, esophagus), gastroesophageal reflux disease and with strong emotional upheavals.

Why a lump in the throat and fever?

Elevated body temperature is always a symptom of some inflammatory process in the human body. A lump in the throat and a high temperature are usually signs of pathology in the pharynx ( paratonsillitis, paratonsillar or parapharyngeal abscess, chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis) or larynx ( chronic laryngitis, supraglottic abscess). A lump in the throat and fever can also occur with diseases of the nose ( postnasal syndrome) and oral cavity ( candidiasis), in which the infection often spreads to the pharynx. All of the listed inflammatory diseases most often have infectious nature (i.e. caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi).

An increase in temperature with damage to the pharynx and / or larynx is explained by the fact that with inflammation of the tissues of the throat, microbes and the body's own cells release toxins and pro-inflammatory ( substances that stimulate inflammation) products, which then act with the bloodstream on the receptors of the temperature center in the brain. As a result of such influences, certain structures of the brain change their activity and stimulate an increase in metabolism ( metabolism) in the tissues of the body, which is accompanied by an increase in body temperature.

Toxins and pro-inflammatory products act not only systemically, but also locally. They cause irritation of the nerve endings that innervate the mucous membrane of the larynx and pharynx. This explains the appearance of a lump in the throat with inflammatory diseases of the throat.