Globes hystericus - lump in throat - has anyone had this?

[CocktailQueen]

I posted a while ago re lump in my throat. Have been referred for an endoscopy.

Spoke to gp today as my throat is getting worse - lump is there all the time, have to keep swallowing it away, it makes me cough. Gp was dismissive, said it was prob globus hystericus and nothing to worry about.

Is this right? If there is nothing there, how can it feel like there is? It started after a throat infection and I have had similar before, though none so long lasting.

Can anyone help? I'm really worried.

[QueenoftheSarf]

I had the same thing for weeks once. It really got me down to the point that I was feeling tearful and anxious the whole time. It ended up wiht me going for a barium swallow, having a scan on my thyroid gland and being referred to an ENT consultant who was going to put a tube up my nose to look down my throat but he ended up being able to look down there by depressing my tongue with an extremely large metal instrument (!!).

Anyway, the upshot of it all was that they couldn't find anything sinister and once I had ruled this out, the feeling seemed to disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

I'm not sure why mine started but I have a feeling it must have been brought on by some sort of stress on a subconscious level because I wasn't aware of anything troubling me. Once I had it though, I couldn't stop focussing on the fact that it must be being caused by something sinister and I think this fed my anxiety and I was hyper conscious of it every moment of every day.

I'm sure yours will go too in time and you'll be fine but I know that it's really grim while you have it.

I hope my story will help you a little anyway.

[Sallystyle]

I get it all the time.

It is just anxiety for me. It is horrible and scary but not harmful.


I have health anxiety which is what brought mine on. I find that not focusing on it too much (which took a year to achieve) makes it go away quicker, although I had it for two weeks last month but it felt like a hair was stuck down my throat instead of a lump.

I know if it was anything sinister I would have been dead by now or have other symptoms so I am not so worried about it but in the past I was up the doctors all the time thinking it was throat cancer.

If it is worrying you that much ask for tests. I am sure your GP is right and it is just anxiety related but if it is something that is causing you a lot of distress there is nothing wrong with asking for tests.

[hashtagwhatever]

Could be worth a shot.

I too had this to the point of where it would make me gag. But at the same time I was having these made sneezing episodes. Took a antihistamine daily to see if the sneezing would stop. It did but so did the lump in throat feeling could be caused by allergy.

[casperandjasper]

I have suffered from this for several months. I tried all kinds of remedies (oral thrush gel, nasal spray, antihistamines) and had blood tests (thyroid) - nothing worked and all tests were fine. At the end of 2013 I was referred to ENT and had camera up nose and down throat twice. On both occasions my throat was perfectly clear and vocal chords were 'pristine' (I thought there may be residue from my asthma puffers).
What the consultant did tell me though was that medically 'globus hystericus' has now been discounted and it is found that the majority of people who would have previously been diagnosed with this are, in most cases, actually suffering from acid reflux.
I have been prescribed lansoprazole but the consultant did say I would need to take it for quite a while before I noticed an improvement.
I must say though that the throat/camera procedures did reassure me.

[jalopy]

I had similar and in my case it was related to reflux. There's some information here. It's good that you are getting it properly investigated.

[Bunbaker]

Like jalopy mine was due to silent reflux. An endoscopy confirmed it.

[treaclesoda]

I've had this. It was entirely psychological in my case, anxiety related, but utterly terrifying. It's a horrible feeling.

But you are getting it checked out and that's the important thing.

[CrazyOldCatLady]

I had that feeling for ages, and it turned out to be caused by post-nasal drip - the back of my throat was constantly coated with thick mucus. I didn't envy the doctor that particular view.

[CocktailQueen]

Thanks, all! I took lansoprazole for a month but after the month the lump in throat feeling was worse.

Interesting that you say the globus hystericus has been discounted - nobody has told my gp!!

I do have a history of anxiety and health anxiety but am not feeling anxious at the moment and was not when this began. I have also gad ths before after throat infections.

Thank you. You have helped to reassure me. Xx

[stubbornstains]

It's been discounted, has it?! Oh. I have it too. So, does that mean I'm now suffering from a nonexistent imaginary condition? (boggles).

[CocktailQueen]

Sorry, stubborn, someone up thread said that...

[PacificDogwood]

Ii think the 'hysterics' has gone out of fashion, 'globus' certainly exists and is usually stress/anxiety related or triggered.
It is my understanding that the muscles that control swallowing (the involuntary part of swallowing - you know, the bit where the chewing gum goes a bit too far back in your throat and, oh, oops, it's gone. There is a point of no return) can go too tight/tense and cause this feeling of a lump that needs to be swallowed over.
There is nothing to feel from the outside and nothing to find on the inside.
It IS very important to have this investigated properly, so having an endoscopy and/or and ENT specialist have a look is a very good idea indeed.
If all tests find nothing what you are left with is a diagnosis of globus. Knowning that there is nothing structurally wrong is sometimes enough for that feeling to go away; sometimes some stress management or anxiety treatment is needed.

[NitramAtTheKrap]

Globus pharyngeus is the same, which is what I had.

I was mightily impressed with the consultant who after I described it went 'hmm. Have you had anyone close to you die recently?'

'Yes, my dad 2 months previously' unexpectedly and far too young. This was the cause apparently.