Small Food particles stuck in back of Throat

[DennisO]

I have had a problem for years.. I get mall particles of food that gets stuck in the back of my throat somewhere around the nasal passage area.  These are small particle of hard food like a part of a peanut shards after being chewed up.. or really small pills like 10mg lipitor (I don't know how many of the liptors have literally dissolved back there instead of my stomach)  Almost every night I have something stuck there it causes my sinus to swell in the during sleep and can sometimes get painful if it does not get dislodge.

Sometimes I can dislodge it by rattle my sinus on that side. (“snuffing in” which  drive my wife crazy)

I have seen a ENT and they find nothing. They did a Barium Swallow and gave be a "horse" pill.  It showed nothing…. But the problem is the small stuff.

This seems to be out of the ordinary and the Doctors don't have a clue. I even asked a pharmacist and he said he had never heard of people having problems with little pills only big pills..

Help.. if you have a similar problem and found someone that could help you I would appreciate the details..

[inkubus]

I have the same condition and something that's kindof surprising has really been the only thing to work.  I tried the nose breathing exercises and they really helped, but I've also found spending a lot of time inverted (with head down) breathing through my nose will circulate saliva in places it doesn't normally make it because my tonsils are so large.  Also, gravity pulls the tonsil up into the little pocket forcing out any food particles.  So I do this exercise, wherein I start standing up, breathing through my nose deeply in my throat (like darth vader).  Then I bend over to touch my toes.  Then I come back up, and repeat that a few times.  Then after about five times I stay down but step my arms forward and feet back, breathing the whole time.  Repeat the three steps for about o10 minutes. The continual upside down, then right side up circulates the saliva around and my tonsils actually appear shrunken after I do about an 1/2 hour of this.  I try to do it at least once a week, but lately I've started doing it every morning for 10 minutes and it had tended to shrink my tonsils down so I'm less suseptible to getting the food caught during the day.  Also, I avoid eating popcorn and rice, which really seems to make it worse.  Also I observe myself very carefully when eating--how am I breathing, am I chewing, am I holding my neck and head in alignment with my body when I swallow?  I think that spending some time inverted each day really is the key.  When you think about how humans have not always walked upright, but rather on all fours (babies crawl, of course), it's probably quite logical that some areas of the body are still "tuned" to that orientation.  Anyway, works for me, when I remember to do it. I've started marking on a calendar when I do it.  It's amazing to have no more horrible rot breath, so I really should do this more religiously.

[Chelofmm]

Thank you so much....what a relief, I found a forum with considerate and helpful information.  I will be purchasing an irrigation kit, and start the breathing exercises.  I started suffering from this about 1 year ago.  I agree, it's very "depressing"

[Gina4727]

I have the same thing. The bad breath is the worst. I have tried many things. I have been to the doctor3 different times and I always mention it when I go in for something different. They never have any help. They act like it is my imagination or something. I have also asked the dentist for help. No luck. No explanation from anyone. I had a tooth extracted, thought that might be it.-NOT. Had sinus surgury for deviated septum , thought that would do it. -NOT. I was glad to find this sight to learn that I am not the only one. Good to know. I think I will copy this to take with me for the next visit. I am going to go back to the doctor,because I hardly can eat anything now that does not get partially stuck. I have a pill stuck there right now, and I get my allergy pill stuck there every morning before work. I can taste the pill dissolving and bits going down the back of my throat. It will probably take 4 hours or so to get finished-if I'm lucky. Ive had things stuck for days. GROSS! Oh the smell of my breath! All the oral hygiene and listerine does not work. Ive tried everything I know. Please Please Please if anyone has any help post it. I will let you know what the doc says.

[gilchicago]

I've had this problem for the last two months. It is depressing. I'm getting nasal aches and headaches.

I get little food particles caught somewhere between my throat and nasal passage. 1/2 to one inch above back of my throat. I feel the particles after I eat almost every time. It started with nuts, chips and cookies. Hard crumbly stuff.

I recently started to bite on a tennis ball and put a vacuum in my mouth in an effort to suck out the stuff. It seems to work but unsure as this is still causing nasal pressure and headaches.

Gil

[Banjovie]

I've had this problem for about 1/2 year.. Last week I mentioned it  to my dentist. He examined my throat. He said that as you get older the esophagus usually narrows.  He also mentioned that he has a golfing friend who has this problem. His ENT has a ring device which is temporarily installed which enlarges the esophagus.  This procedure must usually be repeated in about another 3 years.  He mentioned a potential complication ( which I forget what he called it), and that in my case he probably wouldn't advise me to do it yet.

[naeadam]

This is all so fascinating. I have been suffering from this for years and I just didn't know what it was (I guess I still don't). However, last night I nearly choked - full gagging - until a large pill finally came up. However, it feels like a small piece is still lodged in my right tonsil area. I really haven't noticed bad breath over the years, but I have had this happen to me a number of times just not quite as serious as last night. My husband was on the verge of dialing 911 for assistance. The prohibitory logic was that I could still talk; I was just afraid that at any moment it would lodge in my windpipe and literally choke me. Today, I am in a terrible amount of pain from the incident. Is it just irritation? Typically it only happens with smaller pills, like birth control or sometimes apple pieces (and other similar foods).  I had the barium swallow test a few years back and it came back normal. I was given strengthening exercises, which I did for quite some time. I don't think it significantly helped, but may have a little. After last night's incident, I was ready to contact an ENT for help this morning, but it sounds like very few people have had success with ENTs. I plan to continue checking back to see if anyone has a cure. I think I will try the Neti pot and the exercises mentioned earlier (2008) in the chain. Heck - I may even try turning upside down like someone else mentioned! Can't hurt, right?

-In good company