Here is something else i felt i really wanted to share with you guys,right at the beginning of my illness i first went see an ENT dr and the problem i went to see him for was i felt like i couldn’t swallow properly hence “like a lump in my throat”.I must have been to my GP about 10 times before he would send me to the ENT guy.My GP obviously was aware of my illness and what it can do,at this time it was bad because i had none of the knowledge i have now under my belt(CBT therapy,meds,exercise).When people say knowledge is power in some cases this is very true,i feel iv learned my way back out of my health anxiety buy building the mental knowledge to help me.Anyway the day comes when i finally get to the ENT appointment and i remember being very nervous this day because i was so sure i was going to get bad news i was riddled with anxiety!!So the nurse comes in the waiting room of this grand private hospital where i already feel out of my comfort zone because I’m not posh in the slightest in fact you couldn’t sound more northern than me if you tried!The DR says “come in sit down” a very tough moment in my life this guys one of the first medical checks i paid for because i was so sure in my mind again this is what a true health anxiety drives you to do!!So he proceeded to sit me down and explain what he was going to do after id told him the whole background of myself and let me tell you he didn’t look worried one bit.He proceeded to get his equipment out to do the job which was long thin camera he can put up my nose and back down my throat,sprayed some stuff up my nose to numb it a bit boom it was in before i even knew it,i could just feel him moving the end of it inside my throat another one of my very weird DR experience but these become that normal after this point i even got one DR to do CT scan of me once but thats another tale.Anyway he pulled the camera out give a wipe and put it away and we went back to sit at his desk,well you can imagine my heart pumping through my chest my mind thinking the worst.”Well scott i can’t see anything wrong its just a little red but to be expected in a smoker”At this point my heart sank and my head went into a total spin.how could this be??id been worrying about this for 6 months and i was 110% in my head that something was wrong,better Globus pharyngeus where do i go from now??.”scott you have condition Globus pharyngeus” which in simple terms mean the muscles in my throat were working out of time cause iv been swallowing more than i should.At this point my heads all over the place and i don’t really know whats going on its thats much of a shock then he said “because you’ve been worrying about it for so long you have been swallowing when not eating to keep checking it”boom he had hit the nail on the head,i had been doing that for a long time just swallowing with no drink or food(A form of self checking which is one of the most common things health anxiety suffered do,i did it all day everyday).It was like he had read my mind but i now know that i was the problem i should have listened to him and forgot about it.But here is the best bit i worried for another 6 months went to another ENT dr to be told exactly the same again not cheap let me tell you.So just to finish this blog i lost nearly 18 months of my life worrying over something that wasn’t there that dreaded “lump in my throat” that nearly sent me insane.i know its hard living with a severe health anxiety believe me i do but its important to try and listen to what these DR say the sooner you do the sooner you will start to feel better.Anyway good morning I’m off for a game of tennis today so keep positive people and enjoy your day.
Globus pharyngeus
This is the medical name for a lump in the throat. This is not a true lump in the sense of the word but is a sensation of having a lump or something similar in the throat.
It is an unpleasant sensation but is not usually an indication of anything serious although in some cases it can be a sign of an underlying condition.
Causes of globus pharyngeus
In many cases, the causes of globus pharyngeus are unknown. However, there are cases where the causes of this disorder are known.
These include:
Acid reflux
Stress and anxiety
Fragment of bone trapped within tissues which has caused a swelling.
To explain further: here is an explanation of the swallowing process and how globus pharyngeus occurs:
Food is chewed and broken down into manageable pieces before being swallowed via the throat. This travels down the oesophagus before passing into the stomach through a valve called the cardiac sphincter. This is located at the bottom of the oesophagus. There is a piece of muscle attached to the cartilage in the middle of the neck which also acts as a valve in that prevents food from coming back up the oesophagus and into the throat. This is also designed to stop gastric acid from entering the throat which is why this is a particular problem for people suffering with acid reflux.
But for whatever reason this muscle tightens unnecessarily which causes the feeling of a lump in the throat. If someone with this condition becomes anxious or frightened then it causes this muscle to tighten even more.
The problem with this is that stress or anxiety increases the production of chemicals and stomach acids which further exacerbate this problem.
Can this lump be seen by an observer?
This lump is not usually visible as it is more of a sensation than an actual physical lump. But, if you see a lump on either side of your neck or inside your mouth when you look in the mirror then see your GP.
This may only be a minor infection which has caused your glands to swell but in some cases it may indicate a condition which requires further investigation.
Symptoms of globus pharyngeus
The main symptom is that of a lump in the throat which can feel as hard as a walnut. This sensation is felt in the middle of the throat or even the chest area.
Other symptoms include:
Dry and/or sore throat
Hoarseness
This does not usually cause a problem with swallowing although some people find that they have to swallow more often than normal.
Treatment for globus pharyngeus
If this is caused by stress or anxiety then relaxation techniques and other forms of stress management will be recommended. It is difficult not to become tense or even more stressed when experiencing this lump which often leads to excessive throat clearing or swallowing. If you find that you are constantly clearing your throat or swallowing over and over again then try to avoid doing so. Look at ways of easing this tension which will take your mind off the problem.
Globus pharyngeus which is caused by acid reflux can be controlled by medical treatment. This will reduce the risk of further episodes of this annoying condition.
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