A lump in the throat that is felt especially while swallowing, is usually a symptom of Pharyngitis, a common inflammation and infection of the throat. It is accompanied by other symptoms such as sore throat, red or greyish sores in the throat, ache and sometimes fever. Like the common cold, Pharyingitis caused by virus and bacteria, usually goes away by itself in 3 to 7 days, but you can get some relief from the discomfort and difficulty in swallowing by drinking extra fluids in the form of warm soup, hot tea and water to keep your throat and body hydrated and gargling with warm water with a pinch of salt every 2 hours. Tea made with Mullein flower is an excellent cure for sore throat and helps to ease the discomfort and remove the infection.
Another reason for the lump in the throat which feels like a small golf ball in the throat and leads to a feeling of suffocation can be a spasm of the cricopharyngeus muscle in the throat. It causes a difficulty in swallowing saliva, however there is not as much difficulty swallowing food and thus eating provides some temporary relief. While there is no known cause for this spasm, the sensation of a lump in the throat caused due to this, goes away by itself in a few hours. The symptoms are usually less severe at the beginning of the day and worsen as the day progresses. Stress often triggers and aggravates the problem.
answered by G M