A lump in the throat is one of the most common complaints that patients come to an otolaryngologist with. Unpleasant sensations in the respiratory tract can appear as a result of the development of somatic or mental illnesses.
A specific symptom most often indicates the occurrence of an organic pathology: septic inflammation, enlargement of the thyroid gland, tumors, etc.
In the absence of obvious signs of the development of infectious, endocrine and oncological diseases, the patient is referred to a psychotherapist. A feeling of a lump in the throat often occurs in people suffering from neurasthenia, hysteria and depression. Methods for eliminating discomfort in the ENT organs largely depend on the etiological factors in the development of pathology.
Development mechanism
What is a lump in the throat? A lump in the throat is a sensation of a foreign object in the airway that interferes with the normal act of swallowing or causes pain. An alarming symptom occurs due to the development of neurotic disorders or inflammatory reactions in the tissues.
There are several main interpretations with the help of which patients try to explain their feelings to a specialist:
- painful swallowing;
- squeezing of the pharynx;
- foreign body sensation;
- labored breathing;
- constant swallowing of saliva;
- hard lump in the Adam's apple.
During the examination, the specialist finds out the presence of concomitant clinical manifestations that would indicate the development of certain diseases. As a rule, septic inflammation of the respiratory system is accompanied by hyperthermia, chills, cough, etc. The development of gastrointestinal diseases is most often signaled by nausea, heartburn, flatulence, sour taste in the mouth and abdominal pain.
Somatic causes
If a lump appears in the throat, what could it be? When seeking help from a specialist, first of all, the development of somatic diseases is confirmed or excluded. Unpleasant sensations in the airways are most often caused by infectious, endocrine and oncological pathologies. A feeling of a lump in the throat can be a sign of the development of the following diseases:
- gastroesophageal reflux;
- dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- colds;
- diaphragmatic hernia;
- osteochondrosis;
- malignant tumors;
- allergy.
Cause of occurrence the sensation of a coma in the throat often becomes intoxication of the body, caused by the irrational use of medications.
Untimely therapy of pathologies of organic origin entails the development of formidable complications. In particular, septic inflammation of the throat tissue leads to paratonsillar abscess, meningitis, encephalitis, and sepsis. To understand what exactly caused the uncomfortable sensations, one should consider the clinical manifestations of frequently diagnosed somatic pathologies.
Infectious diseases
The sensation of a lump in the throat is a typical sign of the development of catarrhal and purulent processes in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Pathological changes in the tissues are always accompanied by edema of the ciliated epithelium, as a result of which there is a feeling of squeezing the pharynx or the presence of a foreign body in the airways. Infectious lesions of the ENT organs are often accompanied by the manifestation of the following symptoms:
- dry cough;
- runny nose;
- sore throat;
- muscle weakness;
- headache;
- hypertrophy of the glands;
- salivation;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- swelling of the oropharyngeal mucosa;
- hyperemia of lymphoid tissues.
In most cases, a lump in the throat occurs due to the development of pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, measles, 
tracheitis, laryngitis, paratonsillar abscess, etc. Pathogens of infection can be pathogenic bacteria (staphylococci, pneumococci, meningococci), viruses (coronavirus, herpesvirus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, influenza virus), fungi (yeast-like and mold).
The danger of septic inflammation lies in the possible progression of the infection and the spread of lesions. Lumps in the throat caused by respiratory diseases indicate severe tissue edema that interferes with normal breathing, which is fraught with the development of acute hypoxia. Delayed elimination of pathogens increases the risk of developing sinusitis, otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, etc.
Dysfunction of the thyroid gland
Endocrine disease, provoked by a malfunction of the thyroid gland, often leads to unpleasant sensations when swallowing saliva. Lack of iodine in the body and hormonal imbalance leads to an increase in the mass and volume of glandular tissues, which create excessive pressure on the respiratory tract. The feeling of a lump in the throat can be a symptom of the development of such endocrine pathologies as:
- hyperthyroidism - hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, accompanied by hypertrophy of glandular tissues; a feeling of squeezing of the pharynx, painful swallowing of saliva, swelling of the neck, puffiness of the face, a lump in the throat and pain are the main clinical manifestations of the disease;
- diffuse goiter - an autoimmune pathology characterized by hypersecretion of thyroid hormones; the characteristic clinical manifestations of Graves' disease are an increase in the size of the thyroid gland, exophthalmos (bulging of the eyes), tremors, sweating and weakness;
- thyroiditis - inflammatory processes in the tissues of the thyroid gland caused by the multiplication of pathogens; in the case of the development of the disease, patients complain of a feeling of a lump in the throat, irritability, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness of the voice, menstrual irregularities, rapid fatigue, etc.
Ignoring discomfort in the airways caused by thyroid dysfunction and delaying therapy can lead to infertility.
Oncological diseases
Constriction of the throat and dry cough can be a sign of the development of cancer. Very often, the disease is practically asymptomatic. Only discomfort when swallowing saliva can indicate the presence of neoplasms in the airways. Timely detection of benign tumors allows us to limit ourselves to conservative (drug) treatment of pathology.
A feeling of constriction in the throat, hemoptysis, and unreasonable weakness most often indicate the development of throat cancer.
Malignant neoplasms are removed surgically, after which the patient undergoes a course of chemotherapy. As a rule, the place of dislocation of tumors is the larynx or trachea. As the epithelial tissue grows, breathing becomes difficult, which can lead to suffocation. Over time, patients develop a persistent dry cough, which increases with the horizontal position of the body.
Osteochondrosis
What can cause a feeling of a lump in the throat? Stiffness, moderate pain and squeezing of the pharynx often indicate the development of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine. The reason for the development of the disease is a lack of calcium in the body, addictions, physical inactivity and insufficient tone of the muscles that support the spine.
The feeling as if a lump is stuck in the throat is caused by neurovegetative disorders that occur when the intervertebral discs degenerate. Nerves that innervate the muscles of the airways pass through the cervical spine. Their damage is one of the key causes of discomfort.
In the case of the development of cervical osteochondrosis, patients most often complain of the following symptoms:
- neck pain;
- difficulty swallowing;
- a lump in the throat and cough;
- fear of suffocation;
- squeezing of the pharynx;
- headache;
- depressive state;
- painful turns of the neck.
Physiotherapy procedures, massages, acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, etc., allow to stop degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs and bone tissues. It is possible to eliminate pain and swelling in tissues with the help of warming and anti-inflammatory ointments - "Fastum gel", "Viprosal" and "Dikloberl".
Gastrointestinal problems
In cases where the patient reports that there is a lump in his throat that does not go away, gastroenterological diseases are most often diagnosed. The presence of problems with the gastrointestinal tract is indicated by a sour taste in the mouth, pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea after eating, frequent belching, coughing and heartburn. Unpleasant sensations in the pharynx are caused by the ingress of gastric juice into the respiratory tract, which causes a burn of the mucous membranes. Typical symptoms can occur due to the development of diseases such as:
- hernia of the esophagus - protrusion of the lower part of the esophagus into the chest cavity, which is accompanied by the evacuation of gastric juice into the respiratory tract;
- gastritis - inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which leads to regurgitation of food debris and the throwing of gastric juice into the upper esophagus;
- gastroesophageal disease is a recurrent pathology characterized by spontaneous discharge of duodenal contents into the esophagus, as a result of which the patient feels a lump in the throat.
If a patient has a stomach ache, heartburn and discomfort in the throat, most likely, we are talking about the development of a gastroenterological disease.
Allergic reactions
A lump in the throat can "stand" due to the development of allergies, which are provoked by the use of low-quality food, inappropriate intake of hormonal drugs, inhalation of polluted air, etc. The developing Quincke's edema leads to obstruction of the airways, as a result of which there is a feeling of a coma in the pharynx.
With the development of pathological reactions in the ciliated epithelium, mucus is produced, which leads to the appearance 
rhinitis and hypersalivation. Allergy symptoms are similar to the manifestations of ARVI, in which patients complain of nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, swelling of the mucous membranes of the ENT organs, shortness of breath, etc.
Shortness of breath and swelling of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx can cause asthma attacks.
Allergy manifestations can be eliminated by taking antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. They interfere with the synthesis of inflammatory mediators, thereby eliminating tissue edema and, accordingly, the sensation of a foreign body in the respiratory tract. If necessary, a specialist can prescribe the intake of immunostimulating agents that reduce the severity of allergic manifestations.
Psychogenic causes
There is a lump in my throat, what should I do? Airway discomfort can be a manifestation of mental disorders. This symptom often indicates the development of depressive conditions, hysteria and neuroses. If during the examination of the patient no traces of an infectious, gastroenterological and oncological disease are found, most likely psychogenic factors are the cause of the unpleasant sensations in the pharynx.
The provocateurs of mental disorders are constant stress, excessive psycho-emotional stress, anxiety, acclimatization, etc. Airway discomfort appears suddenly, leading to panic attacks. Carcinophobia (fear of cancer) destructively affects the patient's psyche, which leads to the appearance of additional symptoms:
- increased heart rate;
- increased blood pressure;
- increased discomfort in the throat;
- depressive state.
To alleviate the patient's condition, the psychotherapist prescribes the intake of antidepressants, nootropics, neuroleptics and tranquilizers. However, it is possible to completely eliminate the sensation of a foreign object in the throat by eliminating traumatic factors.
