Foreign body or globus\nsensation is the persistent feeling of a lump in the throat or that something\nis stuck in the throat. Some describe it as throat fullness. It is usually not\npainful, but described as annoying. It is a very common condition<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most common cause of\nforeign body sensation is extraesophageal reflux, also called laryngopharyngeal\nreflux. This is the cause in over 90% of cases. Most of the time this will be\nthe only symptom with no actual heartburn or discomfort. Other causes of\nforeign body sensation include inflammatory conditions of the nose and throat\n(such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis, chronic sinusitis with postnasal drop, and\nallergies), stress\/anxiety, abnormalities of the esophagus, thyroid disease, a\nhistory of something getting stuck in the throat, thyroid disease, and tumors. Sometimes\nthe cause of the sensation cannot be determined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given that there are many\npossible causes of foreign body sensation, there are multiple treatments\ndepending on the underlying cause. If the underlying issue is reflux disease,\nthen that will be treated accordingly. The most important thing is to be\nevaluated by an otolaryngologist to make sure there is nothing abnormal in the\nupper aerodigestive tract. If the throat exam is normal, a screening exam of\nthe esophagus is recommended, as the foreign body sensation can be a referred\nmanifestation of esophageal pathology. <\/p>\n\n\n