“Feeling of hair in throat?”
I swallowed a hair a couple of days ago and it feels like it's stuck on the back of my tongue. I've been eating and drinking normally. Is it possible for it to still be stuck back there?
Female | 21 years old
Complaint duration: 1 month
Medications: sertraline 50mg, omeprazole
Conditions: acid reflux, anxiety, depression
7 Answers
Very unlikely, ENT examination may be needed
It certainly is possible, if it persists I would want my ENT to take a
look,for possible foreign body.
look,for possible foreign body.
If you’ve had multiple meals and drinks of liquid since then, it would be very unlikely. The end of the hair would have to have penetrated the mucosa of your tongue and be anchored there firmly enough to resist the swallowing movements. That is extremely unlikely. Throat doctors see patients every day who have the sensation of something stuck in the throat. Probably one in several thousand actually does. The problem is it that once you become overly conscious of your throat and the swallowing mechanism, it has a way of snowballing into persistent anxiety over the possibility of something being there. My advice is to relax and concentrate on other things. I have never in 50 years of practicing EMT had to remove a hair from someone’s throat.
Sometimes when something gets stuck in the throat it can continue to feel unusual for a while afterwards. This feeling is termed globus sensation and it can be quite disturbing! If it continues to bother you going forward, the ENT doctor can evaluate it with a flexible camera (endoscope) to ensure that nothing concerning is present.
It is possible, but not likely to still be present. Foods and liquids should be able to wash a hair away. A quick ENT exam will put your mind at ease.
Most likely, the symptoms may persist but the foreign object usually dissipates and goes without any problems and no long-term side effects.
Unlikely. The hair most likely caused a slight abrasion of the mucosa with some inflammation. Should be better in a few days. No alcohol or smoking. Keep acidic foods to a minimum.
