GERD-Feeling of Food Stuck in Esophagus

Hello Plomez,

I'm sorry to hear about your Gerd issues. I find the swallowing issues the worst symptoms. It can really heighten anxiety and I feel like that makes it worse. Where do you find the food is sticking? With me, it's usually at the base of throat, between collar bones roughly. It feels like the food gets stuck towards the front I have learned that this is the area of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. I've heard that it can tense or go into spasm. My moms husband has the same issue, in the same spot. He just keeps swallowing to get it down. I feel like it's hard to figure out when the food goes down after it gets stuck. The sensation can sometimes be there for a while but I'm really not sure if it's from food or from a spasm. Hard to tell. Sometimes after eating it feels like pressure buildup of gas. One day, I had the lump constantly for 2 days. I found coffee aggravated it very badly. I'll try to be brave and eat something I shouldn't like grapes or popcorn or lettuce and then it gets stuck and I'm worrying all over again.

And to answer your question...I don't always know if food is stuck or not but I don't associate the lump feeling with food being stuck. I think that for me, the lump feeling may be caused by the sphincter or gas buildup or something. When I get food stuck, it's usually a small thing (piece of lettuce, something dry) and it sticks and takes a few gulps of water and maybe some more food to push it down.


I agree, these symptoms cause lots of anxiety. I try to find comfort in the fact that it is a symptoms of gerd and so many millions of people have gerd.


I hope your symptoms get better soon!


Victoria

Hello again!

It is weird how hard it is to find info on the cause of the food sticking. A lot of times it will just say it's inflammed etc, however, it seems that so many people get the food stuck around the Upper Sphincter. I have some theories of my own but have not been able to validate them with research or any studies. One of the theories I have is that since the lower sphincter is loose or not functioning properly, this could put more pressure on the upper sphincter to remain closed. Then gas is stuck in the esophagus which makes a lump feeling at the UES. Then food getting stuck could be caused by the Upper Sphincter failing to open as easily because it is trying to contain acids from entering the throat. If I overeat or things are running well in my digestive system, I notice my symptoms get worse. Plus certain triggers probably causing more gas. Anyways, that's just a theory I had. I still have to get the Barium Swallow to actually see what is going on with me. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a giant hiatal hernia or something.

Do you mind me asking, are you male or female? I just notice a change in symptoms through the month. Didn't think I'd bother mentioning if you are male.

Anyways, I do sympathize with you..these symptoms do cause me anxiety also. This has started for me a couple of months ago and I've been googling for hours at a time. Probably not healthy for my anxiety!


Cheers,

Victoria

COULD THIS BE A GERD CURE FOR YOU TOO?

I (male) have suffered with GERD on and off for over 40 years. Like other fellow sufferers I have tried all manner of ways to cure the problem but without success. However, on September 14th this year I wondered if the intake of air had any effect on the condition. When eating dinner on that day I decided that before swallowing the food I would completely expel all air from my lungs via my nose followed by a final push from my throat (i.e. to the point of exhaustion), after which I swallowed the food; I did this with every mouthful throughout the meal - nothing got stuck so I decided to continue with the experiment.

Though only two months have elapsed I have followed the procedure every day for all meals and have not since suffered with food being lodged in my throat - except on the odd occasion when complacency stepped in and I forgot to exhale before swallowing!! (as we all would probably do at some point - though sometimes you do 'get away with it' and suffer no consequences). Also in the last couple of weeks I have been equally successful expelling air via my nose only without the need of a final push from my throat.

Basic rules I have adopted when eating are to relax, choose small to medium portions of food and chew the food well before fully exhaling then swallowing. I also drink water with my food (as I have done throughout my life).

I hope this posting will help other sufferers - I cannot accept that my findings are unique to me.