HI All,

I've been 80% raw for the past week. I have been experiencing, late in the day, what feels like a lump when I swallow.

This only appeared since I started eating mostly raw. Any thoughts? Could it be all the fiber from the fruit and veg I'm eating? I read it could be a reaction to reflux...

I'm at a loss and it really feels weird LOL

Just a guess, but maybe your body is cleaning out some mucous that's temporarily stuck. If so, it will probably go away on it's own. If it doesn't, you might want to get a professional opinion. My totally unprofessional opinion is to drink lots of water and massage the area.

If it's from reflux, I think you would probably feel heartburn.

I've had that lump in throat feeling because of hyperventilation syndrome but I have no idea how it would relate to raw food.
Are you getting any other acid reflux symptoms such as acid burping etc.?
It may well just clear up on its own - otherwise I guess consult a doctor.

i've felt it. i think it's either an indication not to eat or some kind of detox symptom.

Thanks! It's good this morning we'll see how it goes in the afternoon

I have had that before.
Could be a lympth node,or just a plain sore throat.
Both are related to infection.
I would get it checked if it doesnt go away.

Vinny

RawInspiredAmy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HI All,
>
> I've been 80% raw for the past week. I have been
> experiencing, late in the day, what feels like a
> lump when I swallow.
>
> This only appeared since I started eating mostly
> raw. Any thoughts? Could it be all the fiber
> from the fruit and veg I'm eating? I read it
> could be a reaction to reflux...
>
> I'm at a loss and it really feels weird LOL

I think it's the detox! Just like your feelings of sluggishness. One week is a very short period of time. Don't you get a lump in the throat when you are about to get a cold? That always happens to me and if you get a cold, just lie down and allow even more toxins to be removed!

you could help your lymph along by skin brusing daily [www.youtube.com] and rebounding [www.youtube.com] lymph massage is also helpfull and nice [www.youtube.com]

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2011 06:11PM by Jgunn.

Thanks for the links!

I would get it checked out by a physician. I deal with many people who have swallowing disorders (dysphagia) and its always a red flag to me when I hear 'I have a lump' in my throat. This said lump, could be something as simple as fluid retention, upper GI inflammation, to laryngeal cancer. If you have any signs or symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, throat clears, low grade temperature, and/or coughing during/after a meal, request a modified barium swallow study (videofluoroscopy).

My sister had a lump in her throat feeling and it turned out to be reflux. If you have it, perhaps then follow what your doctor told you about what not to eat in the evenings and so forth.
Love always, Melissa

Newhoove maybe you could shed some light on something that I get quite often. It sounds similar to the lump in throat thing but a little different.

First of all, I should say for anyone who hasnt read my other posts that I have a number of other health problems I've dealt with and am working on healing, including a lot of autoimmune issues, imbalances, numerous food intolerances especially to gluten (which is what led me to a grain free, high raw diet), and skin problems which seem to be related to the autoimmune stuff.

But anyway, I've always had issues swallowing. I couldn't take pills most of my life because I'd choke. I still can't take big pills, but I've learned to overcome that with small ones just by training myself to take a big gulp of water at the exact right time. Even then, sometimes I still gag and have to spit up the pill.

The thing is, in the past couple years or so I've seemed to develop an issue even swallowing food, which I never had before. Basically I chew the food, and the process of swallowing begins.. and as the food is moving down the back of my mouth and into the start of my throat, something just sort of stalls... and it's like I can't get the food past that point. As this is happening, the food begins sliding back on it's own, to where it starts blocking my air, and I'm trying with all of my will to get my throat to swallow and it just... won't.

Then I usually have to gag and cough the food back up, or somehow work up the "will" to make my throat muscles work. (maybe 50% of the time, after a moment or two of panic, I can get it down)

A few times this has choked me to where I thought I might die. It is scary. I never knew there was such thing as a swallowing disorder. Do you have any idea what this might be?

I'm curious if it relates to the autoimmune stuff, because I have a another friend who has severe celiac disease and always feels like he is choking on food as well.

Cora, my Mumm has this same problem. She went to a doctor, who told her that sometimes the bands in our throats and esophagus that work the food down, restrict, and that the doctors can go in with a scope and just stretch it back out again. Sounds odd to me. Unfortunately, my Mumm hasn't taken the time to go to the recommended doctor yet.

Corathegreen:

I want to thoroughly answer your question. Lets talk about the anatomy of a normal swallow. There are primarily four stages (texts say three) of a swallow; oral preparatory, oral stage, pharyngeal stage, and esophageal stage. All stages of the swallow can be disrupted in any manor.

Oral preparatory basically involves preparing the food into a cohesive bolus. Saliva is mixed with your food and is broken down primarily in a rotary chew pattern with lingual bolus control and formation.

The Oral stage is the anterior-posterior flipping on this cohesive bolus to the back of the throat with your tongue. As the the bolus is being 'flipped' with tongued based retraction the pharyngeal stage begins. This oral stage is voluntary.

The Pharyngeal stage is involuntary in which this bolus passes the anterior faucial pillars in the back of your throat and a swallow reflex is triggered. This is an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT STAGE. When triggered, peristalic contriction will begin starting from your nasopharynx, oropharynx, down to the criopharynx. This squeezing is similar to that of the intestines. At the same time all this is happening, your hyoid bone is raising along with your voice box. When your voice box raises, what happens is this very important flap of tissue comes down and covers your airway like a little hand, called the epiglottis, and redirects the food down your esophagus instead of your trachea.

Esophageal stage : I won't get into too much. Basically, when the voice box raises, air protection is achieved, the upper esophageal sphincter relaxes and allows food to enter.

-----------------------------

This is clearly not meant to be medical advice, but speculation because I do not know you, or your medical background, and require some type of evaluation to adequate discuss oral, pharyngeal and esophageal stages of the swallow.

The reason why some people can't take pills is due to hyper-active gag reflex. There are other reasons aswell.

I think what might be causing you to feel like food is getting stuck in your throat involves the oral/oral prep stage and pharyngeal stage of your swallow.

Oral/Oral Prep: Some people don't chew their food well. Swallowing large pieces of food can cause problems in the later stages of the swallow.

Pharyngeal Stage: Poor pharyngeal constriction might be occurring causing the bolus to get stuck. If it is not completely getting stuck, residuals from the food might coat the lining of the pharyngeus decreasing the airway. Eventually these residuals could build up over a meal and potentially giving you a 'food getting stuck sensation'.

Another hypothesis might be something known as 'vallecular pooling'. In the pharyngeal stage, when the tiny piece of tissue comes down to protect your airway, food might be 'pooling' in a space known as the valleculae. Large pieces of food like fruit or meat are frequently lodged in this vallecular space which can eventually block the airway.

Another hypothesis, if you have reduced laryngeal elevation, potentially your upper esophageal sphincter may not be opening adequately thus resulting in food residuals sitting ontop of the esophagus. This may cause food to back up thus feel like something is getting stuck in your throat.

Here are some mealtime swallowing compensatory strategies which may help you: Chew your food well. Take small bites. Take small sips. Alternate bites and sips.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what could potentially be occurring. Please ask your doctor to refer you to a Speech-Language pathologist. They can recommend a videofluoroscopy to determine what is occurring in all stages of the swallow.

Here is an excellent link that is more indepth than my description:

[www.csuchico.edu]

Wow, newhoove, I was premed for a couple of years, many years ago, and I don't recall instruction this thorough but succint--thanks!

Well I don't have medical insurance and haven't been able to afford a doctor for years... but I appreciate all the info, thank you!

I will have to go with the detox theory, its probably your lymph nodes. Also I would seriously consider allergies. Just pay attention, don't run to the doctor until you are sure. I don't believe in running to the doc. You know your body just sit down and really feel what is going on in your body and if it is surely came on sense being raw.

Newhoove its explanations like yours that make me love this forum so much thanks for your contributions

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

I had that once. The official doctor's diagnosis in my case was "bola nervosa," or something like that. It was caused by stress. I didn't have health insurance and had to pay for the visit and the xray to find out that it was stress causing me that feeling. I started doing yoga and it went away.

My daughter had some painful sores appear on her throat every time she fasted. It must have been detox because after she did a 10 day fast the sores disappeared and have never returned.

yes the most common cause of lump in the throat feeling is stress,worry and hyperventilation. However I dont know why that would come from eating raw....

I think I have been eating the wrong raw things!!! I have done some research and it would appear that MANY vegetables are covered in cellulose. Humans cannot break this down without help of cellulase OR a very healthy digestive tract. Given that I just started RAW only weeks ago I am certainly not there. So I will stick to those veggies which are low in cellulose and perhaps look for a digestive enzyme with cellulase in it.

I think this is one area that needs to be described better for those first starting out. I have really cause some havoc with my digestive system, with the understanding that I could eat 'anything'. I think that is such a huge disservice. This information was not easily found, I've been digging for sometime before I happened upon it.

Either way thought I would share