Feels like something is stuck in my esophagus...

[AM1995]

For the past month or two I've been having this feeling in my esophagus like something is stuck in there - like when you swallow a vitamin without enough water and you can feel it sitting there.  I've also had a feeling like a lump in my throat.  It is VERY annoying!!  I'm not sure what it is - I spoke with my doctor's nurse and she suggested keeping a journal for a month to track what might cause it and what relieves it.  Has anyone else ever had anything like this?  And if so, what is it??  And what gets rid of it???  It's kinda freaking me out!!  I though maybe the Zantac that I started taking was causing it because it went away when I stopped taking it.  (went away for a few days, then came back)  I don't really thing I have acid reflux or GERD... Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[kbilltv]

What it feels like to me is "stuck in my craw." This diagram shows what looks like a little pocket at the base of the tongue, just forward of the epiglottis. It feels like some food gets into that little pocket and won't wash out. This is especially worrisome when It's a pill that feels like it's stuck in there, and may harm the tissue, perhaps making a bigger pocket and exacerbating the problem.

http://health-advisors.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/throat-diagram.jpg

[Kaybee01]

I've had a hiatus hernia for over 13 years. I have been taking 20mg omeprazole everyday for many of those years. If I forget just one day, I have heartburn and indigestion by the afternoon/evening. I recently started feeling this lump in my esophagus too. It seems to help if I take several tums, but I'm not convinced it's my hernia since I have never had this feeling before (other than when taking a large pill). I quit smoking 2 years ago, and have been vaping ever since (down to 6mg and no diacetyl). I'm also not convinced its that either, since I'd been doing it so long before these symptoms appeared, but who knows. Thinking about having an endoscopy, but will start logging what I ate on the days I have this and see if I can make a connection. Good luck to all!

[garyfromnj]

I had the feeling I have a lump in my esophagus, and about 20 years ago I was going to a chiropractor and I told him about it and he found that I had a disk out of place that was pinching a nerve to my esophagus and causing a muscle spasm that closed things up. So he did an adjustment called the interior adjustment and it was cured that second.

[JuJu57]

If you do have problems with Acid reflux taking a multi vitamin will only make it worse. or it could be the problem all together.  There are some vitamins like Iron , vitamin C that probably have caused some irritation....
Get your self on prilosec, or protonix or prevacid..all 3 medications are proton pump inhibitors .  They all work the same way. after having this since 1997, i was so greatful when protonix came out because it helped so much more than the other two.  You need to take it for 6 to 8 weeks. Stay away from spicy, deep fat fried food,  acidic foodsl no sauce, , garlic onions, I soda,, caffine,
i know it ***** but its the only way you'll heal. and even if you feel better after a week, stay on the regimen... and keep away from vitamins!

[bottineau]

forget about the post hi my name is david I am 30 years old for the past month when I eat it feels like it gets stuck in my chest and it hurts really bad hi Chase liquid to wash it down but sometimes that don't work so I push my chest out and I pound against my chest a little bit what do you think it is what should I do

[bottineau]

hi my name is david I am 30 years old for the past month I will eat food and drink liquid and when I swallow food if there is a to something stuck in my chest and it hurts really bad so I pound of my chest or I can put my chest out and a charger and liquid to rent a Down I don't think she is heartburn or acid reflex I had that before this is something new and my mom passed away with cancer what do you think it is

[Wickedtjp68]

I have so many issues with my stomach, esophagus and bowel track that I can say it is so difficult to figure out what is going on most of the time but have come across  some information that might be helpful for you. Google "Achalasia", hope this is helpful.

[SerendipityCA]

I have the same symptom and to my knowledge I have never had GERD or heartburn.  On the recommendation of a friend who is a Nurse Practitioner I'm now on day 6 with Prilosec OTC, so far no real relief.  It's exactly as you described, the feeling that I have dry-swallowed a pill and it hasn't gone all the way down.

I am curious about whether your symptoms resolved since you last posted about this almost 2 years ago!

[Bentraven]

Hi, AM. I hope I'm not too late to provide any useful input, but it may be that you simply overate something that gives you gas, which, during sleep, exerted enough pressure on your stomach to result in transient reflux. I, too, have neck and back trouble, which do a job of twisting my digestive organs so that I, sometimes, suffer from constipation and reflux. Getting my posture straight by transferring my weight to my abdominal muscles (as opposed to my back), and distributing my weight evenly to both legs usually gets things straightened out and "moving along". I hope you've found relief.

[AM1995]

I guess I'm a little confused/concerned because my diet hasn't changed at all - the only thing I've added is taking vitamins on a more consistent basis, and I've never had this feeling before.  I'm just not sure if it's food related...I have a chronic problem/pain in my neck and upper back so I'm wondering if it could somehow be related to that??   I'm also not crazy about waiting another month, as the nurse suggested, before I see my doctor.  What kinds of testing do they do to check the esophagus for spasms?  Can I request my doctor to do them before he suggests it??  
Thanks for any input and suggestions!

[Isol]

Hi! I'm experiencing the same thing. It started a week ago. At first, I felt like there's something stuck in my throat, but doesn't hurt or bother when I swallow. What I did, I drink warm milk before I sleep. I think it helped a little because the next morning, the feeling on my throat was gone, except it transfered to my chest. Until now, even if I drink warm milk each night, the feeling on my chest don't go. Hope this will be gone soon.

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi AM1995.

Make sure you rule out sore throat infection and Hiatus Hernia.
Hiatus Hernia has similar symptoms to GERD.
It is important to get a correct diagnosis, since there are many sufferers
out there  misdiagnosed and put on GERD medications.
Some Doctors, I find are too eager to
diagnose, and too fast to prescribe. (time constraints perhaps?)
Hope you find out soon.
Blessings
Nikodicreta

[FurballsMom]

I agree that you likely have GERD.  That feeling that something is caught in the craw is classic GERD.  Same thing is true of that lump in the throat feeling, or globus.  I do have GERD, and if I feel like this at all I know it means I've eaten something that I'm sensitive to.  I also agree that you should be checked for this, because those do sound like classic GERD symptoms.

[CalGal]

AM, even though you don't think that you have GERD or reflux, what your describing sounds very much like problems people have when they DO have reflux issues. The lump in the throat is referred to as 'globus' and it's typically caused by irritation to the lower part of the esophagus that relays a sensory signal into the throat. And the feeling of something stuck in the esophagus could signal irritation or possibly a spasm within that tube. You may want to consider asking your doc for some testing to be done to get a look at what is going on within the esophagus and stomach.

Alternatively, you could try a course of proton  pump inhibitor meds in addition to a change in diet to see if that's of help.

Reflux in many may not have the typical symptoms of heartburn etc., but when something annoying is found in the esophagus it would be a good idea to get it checked out.