HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED...

what causes that lump-in-the-throat feeling?

It’s mainly down to stress, which leads to high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This causes immediate changes in the body to deal with a threat – either to fight with or flee from it – and is often referred to as the fight-or-flight reflex.

A part of the reflex causes the body’s muscles to tighten so that they’re ready for action. This muscle-tightening can affect any muscle and muscle groups in the body, including those in the throat which help you swallow.

So being anxious can cause that lump-in-the-throat feeling. Many people who are nervous or anxious experience it – in the old days, it was called globus hystericus.