Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

swallowing?

Please excuse all of my newbie limbo questions.

What exactly does "swallowing difficulties" mean?

I can swallow, but I feel like there is huge lump in the back of my throat, almost like it is going to close.

Don't know if I'm just freaking out due to my other/new symptoms acting up this week

Thanks
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
I've never actually thought that i was having swallowing difficulties but according to lulu's list, which i could tick all 4 (lump feeling only a handful of times though), maybe I should be looking at this differently and not as I have been which is just being a silly twit!

I have a lot of muscle issues overall, articulation of speak is often affected, not being able to get my tongue to ponounce a word correctly, tongue tied or tripping over my tongue sounds about right. I readily accept that the muscles that control my tongue are having a lazy day/week but when i choke on my saliva or drink during those lazy times, i've never thought they were connected. I've just put the choking spells down to stupidity, being too tired or not thinking.

Its probably due to not really choking on solids, liquids and saliva yes and yes but I find my self not being able to chew, chewing tires me out so much sometimes that i dont continue eating. I can understand that the same muscles that aide my speach are dysfunctioning and thats why i'm finding it too hard to chew but I'm not sure about the swollowing part.

I think i experience a delay in response, i can for example take a mouthful of food or drink and nothing happens, I'm aware of it and have to think about how to swallow before anything happens, hence the delay, but i can swollow and thankfully it is not all the time.

I feel really like a twit now i've written this, how silly of me to not connect one thing to the other, but until this moment i really would not of said i have swollowing issues, DOH! lol

Cheers.........JJ    
Helpful - 0
559187 tn?1330782856
I have had swallowing problems that started a few years before I was diagnosed.  I just chalked them up to acid reflux symptoms which for me consists of coughing while I am eating or having a hard time getting food from the back of my mouth down the throat (not a feeling of a lump in my case).  I choke on food as well, but not as often.

I didn't believe I had a swallowing problem until after I both a swallow test with eating barium laced food and another test that put a camera in my throat just above the wind pipe and esophogus. Both tests showed that the muscles in the back of my throat and tongue were not coordinating to swallow properly.  You shouldn't have food no matter how small it is, going down the windpipe.  

If your doctor asks this question again you might want to tell him/her what symptoms you are having in relation to swallowing and ask if this is what he/she means by having a swallowing problem.  There is an important reason why the doctor is asking this question.  

Hope this was helpful.

Julie
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
You know, I've had a couple of times in the last week when I accidentally inhaled saliva, or it went the wrong way, or something - made me cough and choke.  I don't normally have such problems.
Helpful - 0
1396846 tn?1332459510
I have had the problem of swallowing my food part, and I have had pain in my chest when I do. I also have problems with choking on my food. I have even had problem just swallowing my own saliva, but now that I think about it I have never told my neuro about it. Guess that is something I should write down to mention to him.

There are so many symptoms to keep track of and I can't even remember what I had for breakfast much less what has happened to me in the month since my visit to him.

Paula
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
I got a big lump in my throat yesterday when I was trying to swallow.  It felt like I was swallowing a golf ball.  I thought I was going to choke, but fortunately managed to get it down.  Then my chest started to cramp up!

Today I've been getting this cramp in the side of my neck when I swallow.  No fun!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Lulu

I am starting to think that maybe so many people do un dx for so long because they don't understand their symptoms.

The dr's rattle of a list of questionsn with no explanations.

Last time, he asked if I had trouble swallowing and I said no (started today) but I still may have said no because I actually can swallow.

Tired of feeling like a hypochondriac...lol


Thanks
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
There are no limits to questions here....  so ask all you need to get a clear picture of what is happening.

Swallowing difficulties can include

*problems with swallowing food
*aspirating food or liquid into the lungs
*sensation of lump in the throat
* difficulties with speech

I had the lump in my throat for a good 6 months - I was referred to an ENT, but he could find nothing wrong when he examined me.  

Hopefully someone else with this problem can add to the conversation.
-Lulu
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community

Top Neurology Answerers
987762 tn?1671273328
Australia
5265383 tn?1669040108
ON
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease