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

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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

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  • Edited

    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.

     

    • Posted

      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

    • Edited

      Hey, I know this message is super old...but based on the length you were willing to go to to try to solve it before (that unforunately hadn't worked, I'm so sorry), I still want to leave this comment anyway.

      If your doctor is not honoring your needs, because he has a baseless issue with a VERY VERY common surgical procedure that is not life threatening at all...you need to get a second and possibly a third opinion. And probably a new doctor. Tonsillectomies are completely normal and if it is in the balance of being uncomfortable for the rest of your life and undergoing a fairly minor surgery, he has no right to get against standard medical opinions because of his own biases. You deserve at least more options to consider, and a greater variety of sources.

      I have only been dealing with this feeling for 5 days, and I'll tell you if it lasted more than a couple months I would be very willing to seek more than one opinion about it! let alone taking antibiotics when you DONT have an infection, and everything else he put you through? Sounds highly suspect. I hope you're feeling better now.

    • Posted

      hi - i have had this feeling for 2 days - im almost positive it is a hair caught way back in my throat but i have tried everything to retrieve it but no luck. what happened with yours ? has it gone ?!

    • Posted

      i have same feeling for more then month already

      i belive is acid reflux issue

      how u doing right know ????

  • Posted

    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
  • Posted

    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

    • Posted

      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

  • Edited

    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!

    • Edited

      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.

  • Edited

    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!

    • Edited

      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

  • Edited

    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.

    • Posted

      would you be willing to elaborate more on the inner ear issues? i have this hair sensation as well as the feeling of my inner ears contracting and expanding.

    • Posted

      Mocking,

      Great list of possibilities! I too have been experiencing the sensation of having a hair or a string in the very back of my throat. I have gone so far as to wrap my toothbrush with a terry cloth hand towel and reach my brush as far into the back of my throat/back of my tongue as I could possibly get while swiping forward, as well as practically brushing my esophagus with my toothbrush and am still unable to make the feeling go away. This happened to me once before and I thought I had throat cancer and once I saw the ENT and got a clear 'bill of health' it seemed to go away BUT now it has returned. I appreciate your list of possible causes. Very helpful. I had never even heard of tonsil stones.

      Thanks-a-million!

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