Feel Like There's A Lump In Your Throat Or A Feeling Of Tightness? Could be this ---

Hezzer · 08-14-2002, 12:04 PM

I've posted a couple times about a tight feeling in my throat sort of like there is a lump there. I found this info and it describes me 100%. Anyone else???

Quote:

Cricopharyngeal Spasm

This syndrome results from a spasm in the cricopharyngeus muscle. It is a self limiting disorder that will resolve on its own. The symptoms are so characteristic that as soon as a patient tells me they have a lump in the throat, I can describe all of their symptoms to them.

Symptoms

- Lump in the throat sensation
- Feels like a golf ball, tennis ball ... is stuck in my throat
- Feels like my tie is too tight
- My throat feels swollen
- The symptoms can be mimicked by pushing on the cartilage in the neck just below the Adams apple.
- The lump comes and goes depending on the day.
- Symptoms are usually best in the AM and worse later in the day
- Stress aggravates the symptoms.
- Saliva is difficult to swallow yet food is easy to swallow.
- Eating, in fact, often makes the tightness go away for a time.
- The symptoms are similar to getting choked up at a wedding or a funeral.

Physiology 101

There are two valves in the esophagus or swallowing tube. The are normally contracted and they relax when you swallow so that food can pass through them going to the stomach. They then squeeze closed again to prevent regurgitation of the stomach contents. If the normal contraction becomes a spasm, like a charlie horse of the calf muscle, these symptoms start. Stress often makes these spasms much worse. Many people have experienced neck tightness when stressed and this is similar. Even if not caused by stress, stress will make the spasm much worse.

A management program

An exam of the neck and throat is extemely important to eliminate serious problems. In fact, it enters most peoples minds that a lump in the throat might be a cancer. In practice, real lumps in the throat, such as a cancer are not felt. It is one of the reasons that a cancer can get so big before it is discovered. It probably is fortunate that we don't have great sensation in the throat as we would then feel every particle of food, with every meal as it travels down the throat. So lacking great sensation in the throat, problems are a little mysterious there.

Unfortunately, many physicians are not familiar with how symptomatic a cricopharyngeal spasm can be and I often see patients who have been extensively tested with Barium swallows, esophageal endoscopies, pH testing, CT scans, xrays, MRI scans and they all come back normal or possibly with some finding that is completely unrelated to the lump in the throat sensation. Really, just a good exam of the throat, voice box and neck is all that is necessary and it is sufficient as well. You should know the following:

- Just knowing the tightness is not a sign of cancer frequently helps relieve the discomfort.
- You will get better. Often improvement is over several weeks or even a few months, but occurs once one knows what the problem is.
- Warm fluids should comfort the throat. Consider a cup of warm tea when the lump is bothersome.
- If stress lets up, the symptoms improve. Think about what stress might be making this lump worse.
- Muscle relaxants, such as valium, would be a good treatment, except for their addictive properties.

KlassicalKat · 08-14-2002, 12:15 PM

Thank you for posting this! I have experienced this before, usually during times of great stress. I think that stress could possibly be a big factor.

My SIL had quite a case of this for almost a year after her 20 year old son was killed in an auto accident. She was wondering what it was and she and her doctor confirmed that it was the extreme stress that she was under that caused it. She is doing much better now.

I sure hope that it goes away for you!

Kathryn

Kate721 · 08-15-2002, 02:32 AM

I was never diagnosed with what you described but I had so many of those symptoms along with a lot of other symptoms too.
Iwas diagnosed in that catch bin of gastric distress called Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
I get a number of medications for a number of things but the one I get for my specific gastric problems also helps with the throat thing.
I get a medication that addresses the Vagus nerve
(the nerve that aids in swallowing) the colon and the bladder.
All that stuff was triggered and hurt.
It takes the specific anti spasmodic along with an occasional xanax to deal with the problems.
Kate

Shelly30 · 08-15-2002, 10:52 AM

I have the same problem. I was diagnosed with GERD (reflux) I didnt really notice any acid at all but it was coming up into my throat and the acid was causing swelling. Have you had a scope done to see what it is?

Shelly

Hezzer · 07-03-2008, 04:52 PM

I came across this old post from 2002. Turns out that the tightness in my throat was actually caused from acid reflux.

Since going on Nexium, I haven't had any problems.

bkimes1977 · 07-03-2008, 07:17 PM

I have the same symptoms and the physicians I went to kept telling me that it was GERD. I even had an EGD because it seemed like things were harder to swallow. Well, the physician did mention that he saw a spasm when he was doing the procedure.

KlassicalKat · 07-03-2008, 07:43 PM

Hi, Heather,

Thank you for the update. That's interesting that acid reflux caused that. I am so glad that the Nexium worked for you!

Kathryn