Why does it feel like something is stuck in my throat and chest

Most people with esophageal cancer are diagnosed because they have symptoms. It's rare for people without symptoms to be diagnosed with this cancer. When it does happen, the cancer is usually found by accident because of tests done for other medical problems.

Unfortunately, most esophageal cancers do not cause symptoms until they have reached an advanced stage, when they are harder to treat.

The most common symptoms of esophageal cancer are:

• Trouble swallowing
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Hoarseness
• Chronic cough
• Vomiting
• Bone pain (if cancer has spread to the bone)
• Bleeding into the esophagus. This blood then passes through the digestive tract, which may turn the stool black. Over time, this blood loss can lead to anemia (low red blood cell levels), which can make a person feel tired.

Having one or more symptoms does not mean you have esophageal cancer. In fact, many of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by other conditions. Still, if you have any of these symptoms, especially trouble swallowing, it’s important to have them checked by a doctor so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

Trouble swallowing

The most common symptom of esophageal cancer is a problem swallowing (called dysphagia). It can feel like the food is stuck in the throat or chest, and can even cause someone to choke on their food. This is often mild when it starts, and then gets worse over time as the cancer grows and the opening inside the esophagus gets smaller.

When swallowing becomes harder, people often change their diet and eating habits without realizing it. They take smaller bites and chew their food more carefully and slowly. As the cancer grows larger, the problem can get worse. People then might start eating softer foods that can pass through the esophagus more easily. They might avoid bread and meat, since these foods typically get stuck. The swallowing problem may even get bad enough that some people stop eating solid food completely and switch to a liquid diet. If the cancer keeps growing, at some point even liquids might be hard to swallow.

To help pass food through the esophagus, the body makes more saliva. This causes some people to complain of bringing up lots of thick mucus or saliva (spit).

Chest pain

Sometimes, people have pain or discomfort in the middle part of their chest. Some people get a feeling of pressure or burning in the chest. These symptoms are more often caused by problems other than cancer, such as heartburn, so they are rarely seen as a signal that a person might have cancer.

Swallowing may become painful if the cancer is large enough to limit the passage of food through the esophagus. The medical term for painful swallowing is odynophagia.  Pain may be felt a few seconds after swallowing, as food or liquid reaches the tumor and has trouble getting around it.

Weight loss

Many people with esophageal cancer lose weight without trying to. This happens because their swallowing problems keep them from eating enough to maintain their weight. The cancer might also decrease their appetite and increase their metabolism.

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What Heartburn Feels Like

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You get this problem when stomach acid moves into a tube called the esophagus, which carries food from your mouth to the stomach. When that happens, you could have a burning pain in your chest. Your throat might burn, and you could have a sour taste in your mouth or a cough. You may also hear it called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which is heartburn that happens often. But other conditions can have similar symptoms.

Angina

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It's easy to confuse heartburn with angina, which happens when not enough blood flows to your heart. But heartburn tends to happen after meals or when you're lying down. Angina is more common after you've been active. The feeling in your chest is more like "tightness" or "squeezing" than the burning pain of heartburn. Angina symptoms mean you're at risk for a heart attack. Call your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness.

Heart Attack

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While heartburn pain stays in your chest or throat, during a heart attack, a squeezing or aching pressure may spread to your arms, back, or jaw. Other heart attack symptoms include shortness of breath, a cold sweat, and feeling dizzy without warning. Women are more likely to also have an upset stomach or throw up. If you think you could be having a heart attack, call 911.

Gallstones

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Gallstones are pebble-like bits of cholesterol or digestive fluids (bile) that end up in your gallbladder. If you have gallstones, after a fatty meal you may have heartburn symptoms that can last for hours. You'll likely ache in the center or right side of your belly and could feel pain behind your shoulders or rib cage. If this happens to you, call your doctor or go to the ER. Gallstones often need to be removed right away.

Stomach Ulcer

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Sometimes a portion of the lining of your stomach or small intestine breaks down. An open sore, called an ulcer, forms. It can cause burning stomach pain and heartburn that's worse after you eat fatty foods. You'll also have lots of belching and bloating. Your pain may be worse at night and between meals. If you have an ulcer, your doctor can prescribe medication to ease your pain and help your ulcer heal.

Hiatal Hernia

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If the diaphragm, the muscle separating your stomach and esophagus, thins or weakens, part of your stomach may push upward. This allows the acid of your stomach to spill into the esophagus.  Acid and even food may come back up into your esophagus and throat. Hiatal hernias can raise your chances of heartburn.

Anxiety

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Your brain and gut are closely linked. If you feel stressed or anxious, your heart rate can go up and your breathing can get faster. The flood of hormones that causes this reaction can also upset your stomach. Besides heartburn, you can feel queasy, have diarrhea, or get constipated. Learning to manage your stress through counseling, meditation, or hypnosis may help.

Esophageal Spasm

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Your esophagus sends food from your throat to your stomach through tiny muscle squeezes. While rare, sometimes these muscles tighten up when they shouldn't. Esophageal spasms are most common if you're over the age of 60. They can cause intense chest pain, trouble swallowing, and you may feel like something's stuck in your throat. You'll need to see a doctor if you have these symptoms. A drug to relax your throat muscles may help.

Esophagitis

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If the lining of your esophagus gets inflamed, you may struggle to swallow. You can also get pain behind your breastbone and feel like something's "stuck" in your chest. These symptoms will probably be worse when you eat. If you have esophagitis, your doctor may prescribe a pain reliever so you're more comfortable. Your treatment depends on what's making your esophagus so sore. The most common cause of esophagitis is heartburn or GERD.

Esophageal Cancer

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Long-term heartburn raises your odds of getting esophageal cancer. If your heartburn keeps up despite treatment, your doctor will want to take a look inside your esophagus. They usually do this with a procedure called an endoscopy. Other symptoms of esophageal cancer include trouble swallowing and weight loss. Coughing and hoarseness are common, as is chest pain or pressure. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away.

Pleuritis

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The tissue that lines your chest and surrounds your lungs can get inflamed for many reasons. This condition is called pleurisy, or sometimes "pleuritis." Depending on where the inflammation is, it may feel like heartburn, but it will get worse when you breathe, cough, or sneeze. Some people also run a fever. If you have pleurisy, your doctor will need to treat its cause. They can also help you manage the pain.

Show Sources

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SOURCES:

Harvard Health Publishing: "Ask the doctor: What's the best way to tell heartburn from angina or a heart attack?" "Esophagitis."

Mayo Clinic: "Heartburn or Heart Attack: When to Worry," "Peptic Ulcer," "Hiatal Hernia," "Esophageal Spasms," "Esophageal Cancer," "Pleurisy," "Bile Reflux," "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)," "Heartburn," "Gallstones."

Virtua Health: "Could Heartburn or Gallstones Be Causing Your Pain After Eating?"

The American Institute of Stress: "Stress Effects."

Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego: "Understanding the Link Between Stress and Stomach Aches in Children."

American Cancer Society: "Signs and Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer."

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: "Eosinophilic Esophagitis."

Cleveland Clinic: "Gastroparesis," "Gastroparesis: Management and Treatment," "Heartburn Overview."

American Academy of Family Physicians: "Heartburn."

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