Is it normal to feel a lump in the throat after eating?

39% Normal
4 Comments

A little background: I have to say that I am deathly afraid of choking. I have had a couple of bad choking incidents throughout my life and they have traumatized me. I should mention that I have a history of anxiety problems (sometimes related to choking, sometimes not) and I am on medication. I see a psychiatrist every 3 months. (Not just for the choking phobia, but for a lot of other mental problems too.)

Now on to the topic at hand. A couple of weeks ago I got my wisdom teeth removed, and ever since then I noticed that sometimes I don't always chew my food properly and I wind up swallowing little chunks of un-chewed food. Whenever this happens, I feel scared and I worry that it will get stuck in my throat.

Even after I know in my rational mind that the food has gone down my throat, I feel a little lump in my throat that makes me feel like I'm about to be smothered. I drink a lot of fluids, sometimes to the point of feeling sick, to make it go away, but it doesn't. It can last for hours.

I have noticed that this always happens in the evening or at night - it has never happened during the morning or early afternoon hours.

I'm very sorry for the long post. I'm very thankful if you've made it this far. But I need to know: is this all in my head, or am I always almost choking on my food? Should I maybe get the dosage of my anxiety meds upped?

Voting Results
39% Normal
Based on 31 votes (12 yes)
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Comments ( 4 )
  • SwimBikeRun
    13 years ago

    To start, I just want to mention that I work with people who have swallowing disorders. I'm wondering what caused you to have those choking episodes you described in the past that were traumatizing? I'd think if it were solely anxiety you wouldn't actually have choked on food in the past especially numerous times. Wisdom teeth also do not typically cause chewing/swallowing problems. Do you notice the "lump" in you throat after eating certain types of foods? Solids? Puddings? Spicy food? Acidic food? Is it always occuring only at night? My first thought is that it might be reflux. Are you chewing your solids well enough? If you are and you are still feeling the lump I'd consider talking to your doc. I think the easy thing to do is call it anxiety, but I'd rule out any physical issues to be on the safe side. Especially since you have actually choked in the past!! Until you see your doc make sure you chew your solids well. Try to put smaller bites in your mouth. Swallow 2-3 times after your initial swallow to help drive the food down. Taking sips of water is also helpful. After you're done eating stay sitting up for a while. Don't lay down. That's bad if you have reflux. Also foods like citrus, spices, chocolate, tomatos, and caffeine make reflux worse. I'd really consider talking to your family doc if the problem persists and tell him about your history of choking! There are x rays that can be done in a hospital setting to actually see if food is getting stuck when you swallow. Good luck!

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  • OnlyTheTruth
    12 years ago

    Always talk to your doctor to make sure up-ing (sp?) your dosage is the right thing to do... Lots of times people feel like they are choking on their food b/c the food isnt as moist as it should be. Dry being bread, crackers, certain fruits and veggies that have a tough skin on them- they can cause some discomfort. I also suffer from anxiety (even on meds) and I refuse to eat popcorn and hard candy for the same reason- I've had lots of times where I've nearly choked on them. So now I just avoid them all together..

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  • windowlicker
    13 years ago

    Just from reading the first paragraph, I'm gonna say it's all in your head.

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  • alv1592
    13 years ago

    my cousin has the exact same problem. maybe the lump in your throat is caused by acid reflux, or something of that sort? you should probably see a doctor if you haven't already.

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