I have food particles stuck in my throat, how do I get it out? (pain, thyroid)

[FreshFresh]

For 3 days I've felt like there was something in my throat. I kept coughing to try to get it out. I tried drinking fluids and eating food to get it down.

Hours ago I used a tooth brush to scrape at the back of my throat, I gagged and a small food particle came out. But now I feel like there's more food particles there. So I tried using the tooth brush again and nothing came out.

I held my tongue down to look at the back of my throat. I saw that little hangy thing (uvula), but I didn't see any food particles.

How can I get whatever else is back there out?

[myrc60]

all I've got is sticking your fingers down your throat (not a pleasant thing to do) until it comes back up.

[AnonChick]

After 3 days, it probably isn't food at all. It might be tonsil stones. Tonsil stones aren't dangerous or harmful, but they can be annoying especially until they loosen and make their way out of your throat. When they do, they'll look/feel like tight, super-dense tiny little specks of mucous. And they'll smell horrible. Just spit them out and carry on with your life - they go away on their own eventually.

If it's not tonsil stones, the only other thing I can think of that'd stick _that_ long in your throat would be popcorn kernels. Those things can act like suction cups and absolutely refuse to let go of a surface! But they do lose their grip and slough off eventually.

Try gargling with baking soda and tepid water. Not just rinsing your mouth, but actually gargling, at the back of your throat. No matter what it is, if it's not the surface of your throat bubbled up and really -is- something stuck there, it'll come loose sooner or later.

If you're experiencing -any- other symptoms - like headaches, or sudden sweating, or dizziness, or ringing in the ears, or problems focusing your eyes, or pain in your throat, go to a doctor. You could have swollen glands as a result of some kind of infection.

Last possible cause that I can think of: you might have a torn tastebud at the back of your tongue that's scraping against your throat and making it feel like it's coming from your throat, and not your tongue. If that's the case, it'll heal all by itself if you leave it alone

[Charles]

I wonder if it isn't particles but something on the tissue (like irritations or sores) that can't be washed down. Doctor visit?

At least you don't have what this guy had:


Man choked to death on roach parts after winning eating contest - latimes.com

[brokencrayola]

I had tonsil stones all during my childhood, but only recently discovered what they were. They stopped when my tonsils were removed when I was 19. With the tonsil stone my throat would hurt some, mostly on the side the stone was on, I could look in the mirror and see it, and they were stuck on their fairly well. They smell nasty and are small and white. I have heard that if you get them you can use a water pic to get rid of them. They didn't have water pics when I was a child. I just thought is was something only I had and only recently read about them. They are harmless, so that is the good news.

[FreshFresh]

Sounds like it could be tonsil stones judging from the pics of it on google images. And yeah it smells epically bad.

I still feel it in my throat. I open my mouth open to find it and I don't see any tonsil stones. I tried picking at my throat and tonsil area with a Q-Tip. Does it go away on its on?

AnonChick I dont feel any headaches or the rest of those symptoms. I tried gargling with salt in warm water. Next I'll try baking soda and tepid water.

Its just this annoying feeling like something is in my throat. I swallow my saliva and later I feel like something is still there.

[AnonChick]

After 5 days with no change, you really should get it checked with a doctor. If it was food, it'd be long gone by now.

[Greenchili]

Ive got those,and I know how yucky they are. I dig mine out with my pinky finger! I know that sound awful,but thats
what I do. Ive learned how to after years of them. Occasionally one will make its way out on its own. Dont know
what or why I have these stupid things! Have you tried hawking it out,that works sometimes too. Sometimes just
messing around with it,will loosen it later on. This is gross,,but hey,it happens!

Greenchili

[bongo]

GERD can cause a feeling of something caught in the throat.

Do you have any heartburn symptoms?

Have you had your thyroid checked?

I agree that it might be time to see a doctor.

Best of health to you!

[tongueguy]

I've had the same feeling of a popcorn hull stuck low on my tongue on the right side...down my throat. It's been there for 4 months and I've seen an ENT twice. He couldn't wait to get his $500.00 a pop scope up my nose and down my throat in the back to see what he could see. "Well, I don't see anything, but come back in a few weeks and we'll take another look." After a few weeks and no relief, and constantly hacking away trying to get whatever it is to dislodge, I went back to him. He immediately ordered the scope again, but I stopped him and said, "This is on the back side of my tongue...not down my throat." He looked anyway and said, "Nope...nothing there." I told him there was indeed something there, but he brushed it off like I was an idiot for talking to him that way. So I went back to my doctor who said, "Well, you've seen the expert twice now and he says there's nothing there, so I wouldn't worry about it." Can you believe that! What kind of doctors are these schools cranking out. Damn! He also said, "You may want to get a second opinion." No, what I need is good doctoring and to have someone who cares enough to look carefully and to treat or remove this obstacle on my tongue. I know that others are experiencing this as well, with no relief. It's not tonsils!!! or tonsil stones!!! It's down the throat on the tongue.