ZENKER'S DIVERTICULUM and BAD BREATH

halihope · Post by **halihope** » Mon May 05, 2008 9:59 pm

I read this interesting question from a woman about her husband:
Husband feels like food gets stuck in his throat and feels sensation behind his breastbone, had scope examinations, doctor stretched the opening at the bottom of the esophagus but husband did not get any relief for his swallowing. He as bad smelling breath, like nothing wife had ever smelled before.
Dr. Donohue (newspaper Press Enterprise, Riverside, CA) answers: Your husband should check back with doctor and inquire about Zenker's diverticulum. It's a pouch that forms in the back of the throat, much like a hernia sac. People with the verticulum have a hard time swallowing, particularly solid foods. Foods get stuck in the pouch and when it stays there for a long time undergoes partial digestion and that gives rise to foul breath. Pain swallowing can be experienced in the throat or lower down, at the tip of the breastbone. The diagnosis is made by having the perosn swallow some barium and taking an X-ray picture. The barium enters the diverticulum and outlines it. Surgical correction is possible.
IF SOME OF US ARE WILLING TO SPEND LOT OF MONEY BUYING PRODUCTS THAT DON'T WORK WHY NOT NAG YOUR DOCTOR OR MED. INSURANCE TO CHECK THIS AND PAY THE CO-PAYMENT!! when I suspected I had post nasal drip and my primary doc. was doing nothing about it I kept calling and saying I couldn't sleep because I couldn't breath, I had headaches and such until I had X-rays that showed mucous accumulating on the back of the throat and was sen to the ENT.

Larc400 · Post by **Larc400** » Mon May 05, 2008 10:23 pm

I read somewhere that it's also possible to have a problem where when you swallow, some food gets trapped upwards, between throat and nasal area. That's what it feels like for me, like some mass of stuff in an area I cannot reach. Might be gluey PND but I just can't reach it. Anyone recognise this?

halihope · Post by **halihope** » Mon May 05, 2008 10:40 pm

larck400
I did feel something thick that I could not make come out or go down, I did not have sinus symptoms such as running nose, or feeling like my mucous was dripping down my throat just that thick glob of mucous or something. I did salt water irrigations both home made and store bought but all I got was a running nose and no relief. 2 or 3 days before my scan appt. I used grapefruit oil nose irrigation and also grapefruit mouth and throat spray. The BB was still there but the scan showed nothing wrong with me. A few moths before I had X-ray that showed accumulated mucous. You might want to try the grapefruit irrigation. I bought mine at a health food market for about $7.00

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Tue May 06, 2008 9:34 am

Thats very interesting you quoted Dr. Donohue from the county in which I live.

Dr. Donohue (newspaper Press Enterprise, Riverside, CA) answers: Your husband should check back with doctor and inquire about Zenker's diverticulum.

I am almost paranoid that this is an advertising thing, though that wouldn't make sense. I am trying to contact this doctor so that I may request he explain to my doctor why I should be checked out for the above described condition.

Sorry if this post is almost incoherent, I am drunk.

emotional rescue · Post by **emotional rescue** » Tue May 06, 2008 4:59 pm

Eric wrote:Thats very interesting you quoted Dr. Donohue from the county in which I live.

Dr. Donohue (newspaper Press Enterprise, Riverside, CA) answers: Your husband should check back with doctor and inquire about Zenker's diverticulum.
I am almost paranoid that this is an advertising thing, though that wouldn't make sense.

.

yeah, in fact, it doesn´t make sense.

Clearly you were drunk

halihope · Post by **halihope** » Wed May 07, 2008 6:29 am

Eric
I been reading the newspaper section called "YOUR LIFE" page D4 for almost a year now cause it has the Annie's mailbox where they advice people about their problems, (interesting and fun) and also Dr. Donohue answers medical questions. His address In care of the Press Enterprise, P.O. Box 792, Riverside, CA 92502-0792 No e-mail address.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed May 07, 2008 7:30 am

halihope, you are an awesome human being, thank you

chomp · Post by **chomp** » Wed May 07, 2008 3:00 pm

I have a question. I brush the back of my tongue 2 times a day (before breakfast and after dinner). In the mornings I gag but nothing comes up but in the night even if I brush 2 or 3 hours after I have had dinner I gag and some of the food with acid comes up. Is this normal? Thanks

perrymason · Post by **perrymason** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:08 pm

chomp wrote:I have a question. I brush the back of my tongue 2 times a day (before breakfast and after dinner). In the mornings I gag but nothing comes up but in the night even if I brush 2 or 3 hours after I have had dinner I gag and some of the food with acid comes up. Is this normal? Thanks

The reason you gag in the night is because the food isn't fully digested in your stomach yet. It's normal

In the morning, the food was digested overnight which causes no acid to come up when you gag

Archimonde · Post by **Archimonde** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:24 pm

Larc400 wrote: That's what it feels like for me, like some mass of stuff in an area I cannot reach. Might be gluey PND but I just can't reach it. Anyone recognise this?

I have the exact same problem. Pills made of plastic that take a while to dissolve get stuck in my throat.

Bad Breath Halitosis Forum

A little more connection.
A little less alone.

Keep the conversation going.