The feeling of a lump in your throat after eating is a serious and concerning symptom that needs to be reported to your doctor immediately. A lump in your throat after eating is a common symptom of anaphylaxis, a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. If you notice other symptoms related to anaphylaxis, call 911 for medical attention. Food allergies are considered by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network to be the most common cause of anaphylaxis outside of a hospital setting. Your doctor will perform various tests to diagnose your food allergy.
Cause
If you are allergic to certain foods, the proteins in the food cause your immune system to overreact, triggering the production of various chemicals. Once you eat a food you’re allergic to, your body becomes overly sensitive to it. If you continue to eat the food, your body experiences an allergic reaction. During anaphylaxis, symptoms develop quickly, causing tissues in the body to swell at a rapid rate, such as your lungs, your throat and your sinuses, according to MedlinePlus. The sudden tissue swelling causes your body to experience a state of shock.
Symptoms
The feeling of a lump in your throat is caused by swelling in your throat. Other common symptoms that occur during anaphylaxis may include tingling in the skin, itching, metallic taste in your mouth, warmth sensation, hives, wheezing, trouble breathing, cramping, coughing, vomiting, a drop in blood pressure, diarrhea, mental confusion, dizziness, lightheadedness and loss of consciousness, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Symptoms typically develop within minutes but can develop up to two hours after you eat a food that triggers anaphylactic symptoms.
Treatment
MedlinePlus states that the first way to treat this reaction is to call 911. If you’ve experienced anaphylactic shock before, your doctor may have prescribed you with an epinephrine pen. As soon as you develop symptoms of anaphylaxis, inject yourself with the medication and go immediately to the emergency room. Epinephrine may only alleviate symptoms for 15 minutes. You need to be evaluated by a doctor. If you don’t have an epinephrine pen, lie on your back with your feet about 12 inches off the ground and cover yourself with a blanket until the emergency medical professionals arrive.
Precautions
If you’re diagnosed with a food allergy, do not eat the food you’re allergic to. If someone is experiencing anaphylactic shock, do not put a pillow under her head because this can cause the airways to become blocked. Do not attempt to give the person any oral medication as this can cause the person to choke.