# Tickle sensation in lower throat



## abymom99

Did/does anyone else have this from a nodule? I hadn't really thought much about it being thyroid-related, but for the last few years I've had a on again, off again (mostly on), constant tickle feeling right at the suprasternal notch at the base of the neck. It's that exact same feeling you get if you gently press into the notch, but right before you get to the point that you actually start to cough.

Back in late 2011, I had seen an internal medicine doc and mentioned this pressure/tickle feeling, so she did a chest x-ray and came up with nothing. Of course I'm sure they were looking at my lungs and those are always clear. In March when I went to the ER for chest pain and shortness of breath, they also took a chest x-ray and didn't note anything.

Now that we've identified that I have a large, very hard, nodule in this same area, I'm wondering if that is the cause of this feeling. It is in the exact same spot, but I just don't know why it would sometimes come and go. I do cough for the first several minutes after finishing a meal, always like I have phlegm in this area, but I'm guessing now it's probably from food getting stuck there or even from my reflux. I asked my GI while I was there this week if he thought those symptoms were from reflux or the nodule, and he said they very well could be from the nodule.

It's a hard thing for me to determine because I do have GERD and a lot of these pains/feelings seem like it could be caused by that, but since the nodule is in the exact same spot, I can't help but wonder if it isn't the nodule causing this tickling/pressure and coughing problem. I'm definitely going to ask the ENT about it. It's not something that I feel is very serious, but it is extremely annoying to have this constant tickle!

Does anyone have any thoughts on this or similar experiences? If you had your nodule removed, did these symptoms go away?


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## Andros

abymom99 said:


> Did/does anyone else have this from a nodule? I hadn't really thought much about it being thyroid-related, but for the last few years I've had a on again, off again (mostly on), constant tickle feeling right at the suprasternal notch at the base of the neck. It's that exact same feeling you get if you gently press into the notch, but right before you get to the point that you actually start to cough.
> 
> Back in late 2011, I had seen an internal medicine doc and mentioned this pressure/tickle feeling, so she did a chest x-ray and came up with nothing. Of course I'm sure they were looking at my lungs and those are always clear. In March when I went to the ER for chest pain and shortness of breath, they also took a chest x-ray and didn't note anything.
> 
> Now that we've identified that I have a large, very hard, nodule in this same area, I'm wondering if that is the cause of this feeling.  It is in the exact same spot, but I just don't know why it would sometimes come and go. I do cough for the first several minutes after finishing a meal, always like I have phlegm in this area, but I'm guessing now it's probably from food getting stuck there or even from my reflux. I asked my GI while I was there this week if he thought those symptoms were from reflux or the nodule, and he said they very well could be from the nodule.
> 
> It's a hard thing for me to determine because I do have GERD and a lot of these pains/feelings seem like it could be caused by that, but since the nodule is in the exact same spot, I can't help but wonder if it isn't the nodule causing this tickling/pressure and coughing problem. I'm definitely going to ask the ENT about it. It's not something that I feel is very serious, but it is extremely annoying to have this constant tickle!
> 
> Does anyone have any thoughts on this or similar experiences? If you had your nodule removed, did these symptoms go away?


Have you had an ultra-sound of your thyroid? I never had the experience you describe so I cannot comment on that.


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## abymom99

Yes, and biopsy. Per the ultrasound, my nodule is a "Complex, predominantly solid nodule in the left pole of the left lobe measuring 1.9 cm x 1.6 cm x 1.3 cm. Doppler blood flow is present within the nodule." The FNA came back benign. I also had "predominant lymph nodes" in this area which they were unable to biopsy at the time. This is just one of the reason's I'm going to get a second opinion with a ENT on the 30th.

Even though it isn't huge, I can feel the nodule since it's in this notch area and it is right up against the trachea. It actually feels pretty similar to the structure of the trachea, but much harder and more rounded.

I was just curious to know if anyone else with nodules had this, or any similar symptom and if so, if it was resolved after the nodule was removed.


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## abymom99

I just wanted to share this patient brochure I found on the American Thyroid Association website, in case anyone ever searches for this same symptom here. Apparently, what I'm describing is one of the more common symptoms in thyroid cancer/large nodules, when symptoms are present:



> Rarely, thyroid cancers and nodules do cause symptoms. In these cases, patients may complain of pain in the neck, jaw, or ear. If a nodule is large enough to compress the windpipe or esophagus, it may cause difficulty with breathing, swallowing, or cause a "*tickle in the throat*".


The entire article can be found here: http://www.thyroid.org/wp-content/uploads/patients/brochures/ThyroidCancer_brochure.pdf

Hopefully this will help someone else with this same issue. I've had chest x-rays and breathing tests to rule out ashthma/pneumonia or other lung problems and those were always negative, so at least I've likely found my cause. I'm looking forward to discussing it with the ENT next week!


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