I have feeling of hair in my throat, what can I do?

Oral and dental care
1

Hi there,

Really hoping someone on here can offer me some help or advice. I hope this is the correct forum (if not, could someone move it?)

I am in real discomfort, as I have the feeling of a hair or obstruction on the back of my mouth, close to, or on my right tonsil.

I think it is related to post-nasal drip, although even when I am not feeling a wish to cough up phlegm, there is still the feeling of a foreign object in the back of my mouth.

I just feel like I want to go into the back of my mouth, and rip it out.

A consultant previously told me I will always have this problem due to the fact I have a deviated septum, and my tonsils and the stuff around it are larger than what they should be. My regular doctor said he could see phlegm resting on my tonsils.

But the problem is intermittent. I had the nasty feeling of a hair in my throat for around six weeks in August-September 2014, followed by ten months of it between January and October 2015. After a winter break, it came back early last month, and has remained.

I really hope this isn't going to be a regular thing.... I know it is only a minor problem to many people, but it is making me feel quite low, tired and unable to function normally.

I am trying accupuncture right now in the hope it will make a difference, the first time I have ventured away from conventional medicines. But my confidence in this is only limited. There are so many possible solutions, I cannot physically try all of them.

For the record, I have tried antibiotics, antihistamine, decongestant nasal spray and pennicilin to no avail. I also use Difflam mouthwash to numb the feeling of the hair. I have had an endoscopy, and MRI treatment, but nothing has been found of any abnormality.

If anyone can help me out, or has had a similar experience, i'd love to hear from you.

- Nick Rabbitts

2

HI nick,

that sounds miserable. It would make me go a bit nutty. 

Have you considered having the deviated septum repaired I did, or remove your tonsils? Did that to. Either way from what you describe it sounds really crowded in that area . Even though it's a occasional irritant perhaps that would help solve it from becoming an issue. Have you discussed this with your doctor? That may be a better place to start.

 

3

Hi there,

Thanks so much for replying to me. I went to see a PND specialist, and he said removing one's tonsils is a 'barbaric' procedure, and it was not something he is prepared to do.

He suggested a few different conditions, but the ultimate bottom line was that I wasprobably going to have to live with it.

Which makes me so upset.

- Nick

4

I have hair that actually comes out i have stick my tooth brush dwn my throat and i use a spoon. All way back my throat n scrap ur tounge n beleave me itll come out..scrap side ur tougne. See if that helps

5

Good morning Nick.

I was wondering if you ever found out the problem or how to cure it.

I have the exact same thing and honestly I've clawed at it to the point of bleeding. Hair feeling/also feels like when a popcorn kernel gets stuck on a taste bud, right tonsil, for the last five days. What the hell is it???? It's driving me nuts. I recently quit smoking marijuana for the first time in years. Thought that may be it. Idk. But gargling and scratching are doing nothing. Any info you have is appreciated. Thank you -Mn

6

Hi mate, my apologies for the late reply. No, I never did get to the bottom of it. It's one of those things that comes and goes with regularity.

The closest thing I really can link it to is possibly an increased level of phlegm in my throat, which I use an expectorant to get rid of. But I know it's not the full story.

Nick

7

I totally relate to all of this, particularly clawing it out, trying to cough it up, trying to wash it down and it being exhausting. It's not a "bad" problem per se, it doesn't even"hurt", but dear God, it's absolutely incessant. I think being aware of something every waking moment is what causes the exhaustion. I often felt like I wanted to drink lemon juice to wash it down. I did try apple cider vinegar, btw, it didn't work :(((

It's definitely real, but I don't think tests will reveal anything, it's not that kind of thing. My doctor and I agree it's nothing to worry about and that it's connected to something you're eating or drinking, and likely has to do with production of mucus which causes the lump or feeling of hair you're trying to swallow down or pull out. Different people can have different triggers and the triggers can change, and, as in my case worsened/expanded over time.

I first noticed it intermittently about 2 years ago. Before long it was constant and I connected it to drinking hot GREEN TEA, or HERBAL TEA of any kind. I stopped, it stopped.

About a year later I noticed it again and after about six miserable months I finally figured out it was worse when I drank FLAVORED COFFEE CREAMER. I really, REALLY didn't want to give up my iced coffee so my doctor had me try Mucinex -- nothing, nada, don't bother. She thought it was an issue with dairy, but many other dairy products didn't trigger it, like half and half, milk ice cream and cheese. This made me wonder if it's not the creamer at all, but the tea or coffee, or CAFFEINE, because when I was drinking the HOT GREEN TEA it was without cream, so I cut out the ICED COFFEE with FLAVORED CREAMER, and it went away!

Interestingly, I was drinking a store bought brand of iced coffee called Stok. Maybe it has a higher caffeine content because I can still drink Dunkin Donuts iced coffee with their plain light cream and it doesn't seem to bother me -- for now -- and in moderation.

I may never know if it was the coffee or the creamer because that's the only time I drank the creamer, but regardless, whether it's the caffeine or the creamer, eliminating a drink solved it TWICE.

Try cutting things out for a few days to a week or two, one at time, to see if it helps. I bet it will.

Good luck!

P.S. The girl with the spoon was OMG hysterically right, but, no way. You can, however, buy a tongue scraper on Amazon that does the same thing. There's one they sell with a gel included that's supposed to help.

P.P.S. I decided to google caffeine and mucus and it came right up. Here's an article about foods that cause it:

https://positivemed.com/2013/09/01/foods-create-eliminate-mucus/

That article is cut and dried -- these cause it, these cure it. There are others that go all over the place about gluten and allergies, what else is new, but I wouldn't go down that route straightaway. I would first try caffeine or dairy, particularly flavored, manufactured dairy, like creamers.

That's all I got -- hope it helps!

8

holly, Today I developed this uncomfortable feeling in my throat, so naturally I went to google looking for answers. I saw your post and remembered I drank 2 ice coffee and A LOT of creamer in it 2 hours before the symptoms showed up. Also I saw the article about food that create mucus, saw that nut where on there. I've been eating a lot of peanuts and almonds this past week. I'm going to cut out both this week plus caffeine to see if it goes away.

9

Hi Nick, I am currently suffering from the symptoms you've stated above. I have very large tonsils too but I've never had this problem before. I feel ridiculous complaining about this feeling in my throat but it is literally driving me insane. It feels like there is a hair stuck on my right tonsil/back of right side of my tongue. Did you find anything eased the feeling in your throat? I'm desperate!

10

Olt1994,

I had same symptoms. I think the main cause is poor air quality, it's currently an allergy season in the US especially if you are on the east coast. What I did is I cut out caffeine and most importantly dairy. Dairy will worsen the mucus sensation. I took an antihistamine every day and took mucinex dm. I also used Ricola Dual Action Cough & Sore Throat Relief Drops - Honey Lemon and it GREATLY helped relieved the hair in your throat sensation. After 3-4 days it went away. I hope this helps you. Best, Alejandro

11

1) Anxiety (trust me, health anxiety is no joke) 2) Calcium build-up in throat aka TONSILS STONES 3) Inner ear issue 4) Postnasal drip 5) Swelling of tongue, throat, neck, airway 6) Chemical burns, inhalation of toxic vapors, drug allergies 7) Sinus, oral (tooth), ear infections and generally and illness focused on your nose, airtrack, and mouth. 8) Bad oral hygiene will 100% cause phantom sensations in mouth/throat. Try high-quality toothbrush, natural toothpaste, non-alcohol mouthwash for anti-dryness or oral healing, investing in medical oral hygiene kit with tongue scraper. 9) Smoking 10) Drug abuse, specifically meth, fake meth stimulants and IV drugs

If nothing above is the issue, id advise you to get some scans done & maybe a biopsy on the tissue in the affected area since some things that may cause phantom sensations are kinda serious.

12

I've had the same problem periodically most of my adult life. I too have abnormally large tonsils (not sure if it's related though). I've found that it is usually a large stiff nasal hair that gets embedded or stuck in the upper back of my throat. It drives me crazy as well, constantly gargling with mouthwash to try and get relief. Thankfully it doesn't really last more than a week with me and my body will finally build a thick mucus around the hair and I eventually hock it out. It usually comes out covered in bloody mucus and the soreness goes away within about a day. Sorry I don't have an effective treatment yet either, but at least maybe knowing what might be causing it helps.

13

I feel for you. I actually created an account to reply to this thread. I have had this sensation and have had success in treating it. I realize, in hindsight, this sensation was one of the early signs of my Laryngeal Pharyngeal Reflux, or LPR, for short. My understanding is that stomach acid combined with pepsin (an enzyme) start digesting your esophagus - which can lead to Barrett's Esophagus and cancer if not addressed. It is sometimes dubbed "silent reflux" because a person doesn't have typical, in your face, heart burn symptoms. My symptoms later progressed to frequent throat clearing, feeling that something is stuck in my throat, and hoarseness. I, rarely, if ever, had heartburn. There are several diets that can help with LPR (caffeine, sodas, booze, chocolate, greasy foods, high acid foods). I, personally, could not handle taking meds. Proton Pump Inhibitors made me feel like I wasn't digesting any food, and while I could tolerate H2 blockers like Ranitidine (which is now recalled), diet made me feel better. Of course, yours may be attributed to something else, but it may be worth investigating LPR. An ENT would be able to diagnose.

14

i am going through the same thing at the moment! i thought i had a hair lodged in my right tonsil. i was gagging on and off from it after everything i ate and drank. this morning i had a go at squirting some water at that tonsil with a syringe and it helped reduce the sensation loads. gutted its just returned again. i am already taking omeprazole but i really dont think its reflux as the sensation is in my tonsil not my throat. if things dont improve ive been recommended a nasal endoscopy on monday but obviously im nervous about the covid risk.

15

Good to see it's not in my head. I've been trying and begging to have mine looked at for over 7 years With an E.N.T. even offered to pay upfront cost my self. instead of it going through free medical (joys of being in Australia). but they refuse to do a thing and make me sit on a waiting list, I've still got another eta 3-4 years on the list. I've had an MRI, my left nostril is completely busted( was checked due to a car accident, 2 years later), The phlegm is more of a puss texture feeling and smell if anything. I'm coughing up so much. i vomit several times a day. But all that ever comes up is a lot of mucus or stomach acid. it wasn't this bad originally. just a little uncomfortable every so often and a bad cough like i got something stuck always like a Hair feeling at the far back left near the uvula . then over time i would just cough up mucus. But over time it's just progressively getting worse originally it was like a day here or there or a week here and there, but then moved completely into all day everyday, now there is "consistent blood. consistent head aches" ( from the coughing), heart burn, and just that acidic burning sensation throughout the throat and the feeling never goes away, I've done many things to help with it. changing jobs, moving locations. changing diets, i notice Milk made it hard but that usually passed, but i cut that anyway since it'll just come straight back up (waste of money in the end). Other then that nothing has made an impact. I've been checked for allergies and i was clean, wasn't much of a drinker. never smoked. But like how Nick pointed out. once it started becoming a normal thing. i stopped going out. i stopped visiting friends or family. even stopped dating (partner walked out because she was getting sick of me vomiting so much. because it was very off putting, And sometimes it was just really bad i'd pass out from being unable to breath). and just putting a major strain on my mental health. It only gets worse when i get a cold i usually will get hospitalised because i just can't breath and drowning in the mucus. But only my GP believes there is something there, But he said there is nothing he can do i just gotta wait.

16

I'm sure you all know I mean this in the nicest possible manner, but it's such a relief to realise there are so many other people going through this. The answers on this forum are pure gold, it's such a precious resource to have to look back on.

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

  • Nick

PS The throat hair is once again back for the seventh year in a row.

17

Glad I found this! I've also been having the same sensation on and off lately, like a hair or popcorn husk in my throat or on the back of my tongue. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac at times, so of course I was worried that it's throat or tongue cancer! I've always had mild sinus problems and still have my tonsils at 62, so reading about this calmed me down! i was pretty sick last november, strep throat (for the first time in my life) that became abcessed, so I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

18

I had this happen once and the ENT said I had loose skin hanging down in my throat and also had scratched it. I had been taking some herbs (cleanse) that irritated my throat. He said the scratch feels like a foreign body in the throat.

19

I'm literally having the same problem the last few weeks. cant really tell if its from talking to people, yelling sometimes, or anxiety. I've just been pretty nervous about this due to Covid but whenever i actually have a true sore throat i get a cough a long with it and this time i haven't. Honestly it doesn't even feel like a sore throat just feels like something is stuck in my throat like a hairball or something. Whenever i do look up online about this feeling it says anxiety which i am diagnosed with. I've been using throat drops for awhile now but not every day so i might try doing it the full week and see if it goes away. But again I've just been struggling so much with anxiety these past few weeks mainly because of covid not like i go out or anything or see anyone outside of my house so i hope its nothing like that

20

Yes a problem for me too. I regularly get rhinitis where it drips down my throat and I cough constantly but usually in the winter months. For the last few months I had had this feeling of a lump in my throat and the hair. I can feel no lumps and yet it dominates my days. I am constantly drinking to keep my throat moist. It doesnt hurt and my cough gets worse at the end of the day when I get tired.

I suspect the air in my home is a problem. Just not been out much and I have a big labrador. My doctor ....really a locum...wanted me to have a chest xray but I cancelled it. Too many patients have caught covid there in the local hospital. I dont have any chest pains. I have lost weight but only to what I should weigh.....I put that down to the no cafe breakfasts though. Lots of salads at home instead.

Have applied for a specialist ENT ....dont mind paying....but I dont want a zoom thing. I want a doctor to look at my throat and use one of those cameras. Maybe something is stuck? Or a hair is there?