Could this be acid reflux?

Question

I have been feeling like there is a lump in my throat. I went to my doctor and she checked it out and she said that it is probally acid reflux. The lump feeling is always there never goes away. Sometimes my throat gets really dry and sometimes it is hard to swallow. It doesn't matter if I eat pizza with a coke or just drink water all day long it doesn't feel any better. And now after a month it has gotten worse. I can't eat any food because it feels like it gets stuck in my throat no matter how little of bites I take or how long I chew it. I don't have no energy all I do is sit on the couch. When I try to play with my kids it feels like my heart starts beating harder not really faster but harder and I feel like it is a little harder to breathe, not like I'm completely out of breath but where i need to breathe deeply. I have another Dr.'s appointment coming up and am going to ask for a refferal to an ent but until then does anyone know what might be going on with me or any help at all?

Answer 1

It is good that you are going back to the doctor because it sounds like things are getting worse. There are a lot of different things that can cause difficulty swallowing -- there is a pretty long list in this article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphagia

The same article also says, "The patient is generally sent for a GI, pulmonary, ENT, or oncology consult, depending on the suspected underlying cause." So you don't necessarily need to see an ENT, if your doctor thinks that there is another specialist who might be better to see.

I hope you feel better soon.

Edited to add: here is another web page discussing the sensation of lump in the throat. It talks about how acid reflux can be one cause (but not the only one) of that sensation.

http://www.otohns.net/default.asp?id=13090

Answer 2

You have the classic symptoms of GERD. The lump you feel in your throat is due to the tightening of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES), which prevents reflux from coming up and entering your lower throat (hypopharynx).
You can compensate for the problem by alternating solids and liquids. Large boluses of liquid work best in order to "flush" the ingested material through the sphincter. It's probably harder to swallow saliva because the amount is too small to allow the UES to open. Holding your chin to your chest when you swallow will help, too.
See a gastroenterologist for the best treatment for GERD.