Q. What is Maehaekgi (globus sensation)?
A sensation of something stuck in the throat without anything actually being there. Western medicine calls it pharyngeal foreign-body sensation or globus. Stress and qi stagnation are main causes; Korean medicine works very well.
📝 Detailed Answer
It is the term Korean medicine uses for a state where there is a feeling of something like a plum stone caught in the throat but swallowing is actually unimpaired. In modern terms it corresponds to a globus sensation in the throat.
There are characteristics. It is actually easier when swallowing food, and felt more when swallowing saliva or at rest. Nothing comes up when you try to spit, and it worsens under stress.
In Korean medicine we regard it as a state where the circulation of qi has stagnated, and approach it accordingly.
However, there is something that must be distinguished. If food actually catches, you lose weight, a lump is felt in the neck, or your voice has been hoarse for a long time, it may not be a globus sensation but another problem, so please be sure to tell us at the consultation. If examination indicates it, we will arrange ENT testing.
Expert Verified
Hyo-seop Kim
Chief Director