Globus hystericus - anyone any experience?

[CocktailQueen]

After feeling that I have a lump in my throat since Xmas, I have been diagnosed with globus hystericus. Am a bit about it as I just can't believe that I could be imagining it! The symptom is there most of the time, I am very conscious of it, and it's uncomfortable!

I have had a gastroscopy and a camera up my nose at ENT as well - what are they called? Have been referred for a barium swallow and a follow-up appt.

I just feel a bit mad. Does anyone else have this and how do you manage it?
Thanks!

Dd had this aged 9. It lasted over 12 months! I was distraught, run ragged, I couldn't bear the thought of her being so uncomfortable all the time. Could not/would not accept there was nothing actually wrong and that it was all in her head! It was truly an awful, awful year. She too had camera up nose and down throat, physical exams, nothing wrong. I thought it was her thyroid (family history), blood tests showed slightly elevated levels but not a concern in her age. One doctor quite sternly told me that I was the problem, the more I talked about it and convinced me/dd that it was a problem .. then it would be a problem. I came home angry and devastated. But told dd that her brain was tricking her (did NOT believe this myself at all) but kept telling dd the doctors are right, her brain is being mischievous. IT WORKED!!
I still can't believe it to this day ... dd lump was there ALL the time 24/7, hurt more when she swallowed and hurt even more when she tilted her head back. I still can't get my head around the fact that things in your head can cause physical symptoms.
Good luck

Yep, off and on for years.

Started with what I thought was a hair in my throat then a lump. It is related to health anxiety for me.

It is horrible. I am at the stage now where my family reminds me what it is when it happens and I try to ignore it. As for how I manage? I just wait it out and eventually it gets better again.

I am used to my head causing physical symptoms. I can worry about ovarian cancer and then get pains in my stomach, I worry about a mole and the skin around it itches if I focus on it too much. I try not to focus on my throat but it's pretty hard isn't it? Is your perhaps anxiety related? it often is.

Sorry, that wasn't very clear. My husband and mum usually remind me it is nothing to worry about which takes the anxiety away and then I just have to wait for it to stop. It did last a very long time the first few times but when I take the anxiety away from it it does go away quicker.

It is awful, I don't think anyone in my family quite understood the distress it caused me. The nights spent awake trying to cough up an imaginary hair then feeling a lump was blocking my throat. It didn't help that I used to cough all the time with it and irritated my throat so it felt even worse.

It's not imaginary-it's 'just' tense muscles on your throat yhat feel like a lump. Dehydration makes it worse, so drink plenty of water. If you google linden method throat exercises I think you'll find a video if the linden man doing exercises specifically to relax those muscles.

Globus hystericus is quite an old-fashioned name, it tends to get called globus pharyngeus now. I see it often in my work (well, not actually 'see' it) but it's a horrible thing, really distressing.

Have they referred you to speech and language therapy as well? Maybe after the barium swallow?

Thanks, all! V helpful and reassuring. Both my gp and thecENT consultant I saw called it globus hystericus

No referral to SLT - what will they do?

It's very intrusive and it's there all the time; I'm constantly award of having to cough or swallow to try to get rid of the lump. It first appeared after a bad throat infection a few years ago, and has been present since Christmas. Gah gah.

I do have some anxiety issues, but am not generally prone to imagining symptoms! Will google those exercises, Haggis, thank you.

Yes on and off definitely triggered by lack of sleep and stress examine lifestyle and try to change if necessary

Some speech and language therapists will see patients with globus, in other areas they might not. I think it's helpful to spend a bit of time talking through how it works and some tips to manage it and with any luck to get rid of it too, and to just have a listen to any voice symptoms going along with it.

You're NOT imagining symptoms. The neck is a marvellous machine but it's all very precise and delicately made in there. A little bit of swelling (e.g. inflammation after a cold or a lot of coughing) can throw things off quite a bit, and set up habits such as throat clearing, which in itself is rough on the vocal folds, then you have a longer term tension in some of the muscles which feels like a lump.

TBH it's fairly common that once the medics have reassured you, the symptoms finally clear, but if they suggest a referral to speech, do take it up.

I had it but once I had enough tests to confirm that I wasn't dying of cancer, it gradually cleared up!

I get this these days whenever I've had even a slight cold or cough, and it's bloody miserable, isn't it? Some days it distracts me nicely from the IBS and tension headaches though (twitch...)

Yes. On and off for years. Now I'm typing about it I can feel it! Ridiculous isn't it. I promise that once you accept that is what it is it will magically go away. It might come back in times of stress or if you think about it a lot but I promise you it does exist!

Also don't swallow to relive it it only makes it worse, try to ignore. Good luck.

Globus is not "just in your head" or "imaginary" it is the discomfort you feel when your throat muscles are too tight. They narrow the airway and that is perceived as discomfort that can go from mild to the clear sensation of a lump in there or the feeling if being strangled. What the doctor means when he says there is nothing there is that there is no physical lump or growth that needs to be removed. If the throat muscles relax the sensation will go. Often finding out what keeps the tension in place (irritation? Reflux? Stress?...) is the best course of action.

I get it when stressed - my mum and sister got/get it too. For me, it tells me I'm stressed and that I need to chill out. Uncomfortable but quite helpful really.

That is useful. Who knew it was so common? Thank you.

Many

I have been suffering these symptoms for 3 weeks . Every time I swallow it feels like there is a lump . I also suffer anxiety and this has been on my mind for weeks , the doctor said it could be acid reflux! . Ive also Been under a lot of stress lately and I tend to worry a lot . It really is horrible x

Hi Gem202135
Does it ever hurt/feel sore when u swallow or just literally a lump? I'm going through similar things at the mo. I think my constant over-swallowing or clearing my throat is aggravating things

Hi yeah it’s like a sharp pain in my throat sometimes it feels almost like a sharp chip that I’ve swallowed but I know I haven’t .. it’s constantly there and it’s driving me crazy 🙈 my husband keeps telling me it’s anxiety and stress . I think the more I swallow the worse it gets but I can’t help it . Hope your ok :) x

Mine is a bit like that too but perhaps milder. Sometimes there's pain when I swallow and sometimes there isn't! So annoying. Nurse is a bit baffled and will give me antibiotics next week if its still there. I'm not sure they will do anything. X

Yeah mines the same this morning I felt like it was getting better I couldn’t feel the lump , but I find when im stressed and tired it comes back . It’s a weird sensation . My doctor tells me it’s nothing to worry about And it’s my anxiety that is making it worse , but sometimes I can’t help but feel anxious 🙈 . I hope yours gets better :)

Yes, on and off, mostly related to periods of high anxiety.

Good morning skyliner :) yes I think that could be the case . I’m abit of a worrier when it comes to my health 🙈 I’ve woke up this morning and it feels a lot better so just gonna try and keep positive . Have you experienced this too ?

Yes, mine comes and goes!