If you think something is chronically stuck in your throat,

If you need to clear your throat frequently,

If you are looking for something to get rid of this annoying feeling,

Please continue to read; I will tell you more about the leading causes for this feeling and some remedies to treat the above experiences.

What is the cause of this feeling?

• Stomach acid irritation

When the gastric acid reaches the throat through vomiting or throwing up, the chemical properties of this liquid damage the pharynx tissue and cause “chemical pharyngitis.”

This condition can happen when some acidic chemical liquid is drunk suddenly. For example, you may experience the same feeling when drinking lemon juice or other acidic or sour drinks.

The severity of this chemical burn and the discomfort it may cause depends on the PH of the liquid and volume.

One should expect severe chemical pharyngitis as the PH decreases and the fluid increases.

The factors that may be related to severe chemical pharyngitis caused by gastric acid are:

• Stress
• Smoking

• Faty food
• Acidic or sour beverage
• High body weight
• Some medication
• Spicy foods

On the other hand, some other factors are associated with mild chemical pharyngitis:

The fluid contains milk or other alkaline food like soybeans or nuts.

Vomiting happens in standing or sitting positions rather than sleeping.

Some medications increase the PH of gastric acid. As the PH increases, the severity of chemical pharyngitis decreases.

You can find easy ways to help this condition heal as fast as possible under the section “How to get rid of this annoying feeling.”

• Globus pharynx

Definition:

There are many reasons why some people feel that something is stuck in their throat. Still, when it comes to causes associated with vomiting or throwing up, Globus pharyngitis should be considered an etiologic factor.

Doctors call the feeling of something stuck in the throat Globus pharyngitis. It is generally caused by the restless mental state of the person.

Some medical references use globus when there is no physical etiology for this sensation, as I will do in this article.

For example, sometimes, a bite may get stuck in your throat and not move with repeated swallowing of saliva or water. This condition is called “Dysphagia.”

What causes globus?

Why do people feel a lump in their throat after vomiting or without incident?

Globus, the sensation of a sticky body in the throat, is caused by psychological or mental problems, which is the main reason that treating this condition is very difficult.

Sometimes this underlying psychological condition may cause gastric acid to come back into the esophagus and reach the throat and larynx, causing chemical pharyngitis.

Therefore, it is essential to distinguish between globus sensation caused by psychological factors alone or combined chemical pharyngitis.

Epidemiology

Everyone in all age groups can experience the globus. Both children and adults can have this experience, but it is more common in adults than in children.

In adults, the prevalence of globus sensation increases in the middle age group.

The globus sensation is much more common in females rather than in males.

Again, I like to emphasize that when I use globus terminology, I mean globus sensations with no known causes. Scientists believe that most of these are caused by psychological factors.

Who are at risk of developing globus sensation?

Globus sensation is a condition where an individual experiences the feeling of having something stuck in their throat, despite no actual obstruction being present. While the exact cause of this condition is not yet fully understood, research suggests that individuals who are more sensitive to stress and those with chronic anxiety may be more prone to developing it.

When an individual is under stress, it can stimulate the stomach nerves and increase the production of gastric juice. This can lead to a higher incidence of gastritis and indigestion, which can further exacerbate the symptoms of globus sensation. Additionally, those with this condition may experience more acid reflux, which can cause irritation and inflammation of the throat and larynx.

The contact of gastric fluid with the delicate tissues of the throat and larynx can result in chemical pharyngitis, which causes the persistent feeling of having something stuck in the throat.

If you experience symptoms of globus sensation, it’s important to seek medical attention to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Accurate diagnosis and treatment can help alleviate the discomfort associated with this condition and improve overall quality of life.

Treatment of Globus pharyngitis

The basis of treatment will be the control of daily stress and mental disorders if present.

Psychological rehabilitation and regular psychologist visit will play an essential role in the treatment and prevention of the progress of the disease.

Stress management consists of both family and work intervention and needs strict cooperation.

It is better to avoid eating salty and sour foods because these substances slow down the emptying of the stomach and may worsen the globus sensation.

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Sometimes gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is accompanied by nausea and vomiting because of increased food intake.

GERD can cause globus sensation through different mechanisms. This feeling can be happened with or without vomiting; therefore, if you experience the feeling like something stuck in your throat and do not get relief quickly after vomiting, it may be caused by GERD.

The most common clinical sign for gastroesophageal reflux disease is heartburn.

Other less common symptoms found to be:

• Existence of a lump in the throat
• Bad breath smell
• lousy smell of mouth
• The feeling of having something stuck in the throat
• Nausea
• Vomit
• Flatulent
• Belching
• Damage to the teeth
• Change in voice
• Chronic cough
• Constant need to clear the throat
• Nasal congestion

• Gastric ulcer disease

Gastric ulcer disease refers to conditions in which there is a breakage in the stomach’s protective layer against gastric acid because of many different factors.

The ulcer causes heartburn and symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and especially the globus sensation, which can be seen before or after vomiting.

If the globus sensation that occurs after vomiting does not resolve thoroughly after a couple of hours, there may be some serious underlying condition that needs special consideration.

If you have had a history of severe heartburn, schedule your medical visit as soon as possible.

The globus sensation in these patients after vomiting arises from gastric acid, which irritates the pharynx and common nerves responsible for stomach and pharynx sensation.

When these nerves become stimulated by a gastric ulcer, someone may experience a Globus sensation in the throat without any underlying pathology in the pharynx. These types of pains are called referral pain.

How to diagnose the exact cause

General considerations:

Experience feeling something stuck in your throat after vomiting without any history of heartburn. This feeling happens after vomiting, followed by a fatty oa r heavy meal. The cause may be mild pharynx chemical burn because of gastric acid.

These types of pharyngitis will resolve thoroughly in a couple of hours. If it begins to happen repeatedly and does not resolve quickly in a couple of hours, then there may be some severe problems.

Suppose you have had a history of t of heartburn and return of gastric acid in your throat, and now after vomiting, your globus sensation persists and doesn’t resolve quickly. In that case, gastroesophageal reflux disease may be the cause.

Notice the fact that these problems can be present simultaneously. For example, one can have GERD and gastric ulcer disease because of the severe stress disorder, making the diagnosis and treatment challenging and tricky.

To diagnose Globus pharyngitis caused by stress, we must first rule out other digestive problems that may be present in the throat and esophagus. In other words, there is no specific test for a definitive diagnosis of Globus pharyngitis. Eliminating other causes would be the only way to diagnose Globus pharyngitis.

Diagnostic tools:

• Examination of the throat and larynx with specialized tools
• Examination of the pharyngeal junction with stomach named lower gastroesophageal sphincter or LES with endoscopic instrument.
• Performing a radiological study of esophagus and stomach with some medical dye like barium swallowing test.
• Blood tests to assess anemia and thyroid problems.
• In the presence of gastric reflux into the esophagus, inflammation in the throat and sometimes inflammation, redness and swelling of the larynx, and damage to the vocal cords will also be evident on direct examination of the throat and larynx.

When all of these tests and examinations are normal, especially if the person is a female and is under a certain amount of stress, a diagnosis of Globus pharyngitis is likely the cause of repeated vomiting and all other associated problems.

How to get rid of this annoying feeling

Home remedies:

If the feeling of globus in your throat is followed by vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux, you can try some of the below treatments at home to lessen the discomfort feeling in the throat in the early phase:

• Try to stay in stand so sitting position rather than sleeping
• If the vomiting is stopped and you don’t have nausea, drink a small amount of milk or water. Be cautious if you feel breathing problems or nausea. Do not try to swallow anything.
• Try to swallow your saliva may be the best way to reduce the sense of discomfort in your throat.
• Avoid drinking soar or acidic drinks like lemon juice.
• Take a deep breath, become calm, and avoid any possible stress.

Besides the above tips, there are some ways to reduce the occurrence of vomiting and globus feeling:

• Avoid obesity and overweight
• Quit smoking, alcohol, and stimulants such as caffeinated beverages.
• Increase the number of meals per day to six and reduce the volume of each meal
• Avoid overeating
• Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes
• Chew food slowly and completely
• Do not lie down for at least two hours after eating, and do not bend forward until one hour after eating.
• Use a pillow for reflux at bedtime, or place a few bricks or bookshelves under the upper part of your bed so that the head of the bed rises so high that you do not slip on the bed while sleeping.
• Avoid placing a few pillows just below the head. If you have to do this, the head and neck should be on the pillows simultaneously.
• Avoid high-salt, high-fat, high-spice, processed, and canned foods, sweet and fatty donuts, bread, chips, and fried snacks. Citrus fruits, cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes can also worsen your symptoms.

Medication may help your problem:

Don’t try these medications without medical consultation.

Drugs such as:

• Antacids
• Antihistamine such as ranitidine and famotidine
• Drugs that limit the acid production capacity of the stomach, like pantoprazole or omeprazole.
• Some medications that are used for controlling stress
• Some psychological drugs to treat underlying problems.

Sometimes it is necessary to use drugs such as metoclopramide to help increase the rate of gastric emptying. This drug should be used only with a doctor’s prescription.

Can anxiety and stress cause this feeling?

Psychological problems in sensitive people can be associated with the following consequences:

• Increased gastric acid secretions
• Return of stomach contents and acids into the esophagus and pharynx.
• Increased sensitivity of sensory nerves located in the throat.
• Increased muscle contraction of the muscles above the esophagus, in other words, nerve contraction of the muscles located above the esophagus and throat, creating a feeling of a mass or lump in the throat.
• Stress can cause both globus sensation directly by contracting the pharynx muscles and indirectly through inducing GERD or gastric ulcers.

When to see a doctor?

Generally speaking, feeling something stuck in the throat after vomiting wouldn’t last long and resolve quickly and spontaneously.

If the underlying psychological problems cause vomiting and globus sensation, treatment and controlling the problem may be challenging and need specific considerations.

Be sure to visit a physician if you experience one or some of the followings:

• Long-lasting globus feeling with or without vomiting
• Recurrent vomiting and globus pharyngitis
• Having difficulties in swallowing
• History of heartburn or stomach pain
• Having stressful life or recent stress
• Strat is taking a new medication
• See blood in your throw up