Bump the Lump - Intervention for the Treatment of Globus Pharyngeus

Purpose

To develop a standardized speech-language pathology treatment protocol to systematically address Globus pharyngeus (GP) as a proof of concept

Condition

  • Globus Pharyngeus

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Volunteer adult patients (age 18 and over) evaluated at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Center for Voice and Swallowing Disorders who report a complaint of globus pharyngeus

Exclusion Criteria

  • Patients diagnosed with a swallowing disorder will be excluded from the study

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Intervention Model Description
The Speech-language pathologist (SLP) intervention protocol consists of six components, all of which will be implemented by the treating speech-language pathologist
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
The SLP intervention protocol
The SLP intervention protocol consists of six components, all of which will be implemented by the treating speech-language pathologist
  • Behavioral: Speech-language pathologist (SLP) protocol
    The SLP intervention protocol consists of six components, all of which will be implemented by the treating speech-language pathologist

Recruiting Locations

Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem 4499612, North Carolina 4482348 27157
Contact:
Lyndsay Madden, DO
336-716-4161
lmadden@wakehealth.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Study Contact

Lyndsay Madden, DO
(336) 716-4161
lmadden@wakehealth.edu

Detailed Description

Globus pharyngeus (GP), often described as a persistent lump or tightness in the throat, accounting for 4% of new referrals to Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinics. This condition is reported in the literature in up to 46% of healthy individuals and has been shown to significantly impact patients' quality of life. The key diagnostic criteria for GP include at least 12 weeks duration of symptoms without dysphagia or gastroesophageal reflux as the causative symptom, and in the absence of major esophageal motor disorders. While the exact etiology of GP remains elusive, research suggests a multifactorial nature involving physical, psychological, and functional components. Behavioral therapy with a Speech-language pathologist is often recommended as a treatment option for patients with GP. A review of the literature examining SLP interventions for GP shows that SLP treatments lack standardization, leading to inconsistency and limited efficacy across therapeutic interventions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to further investigate behavioral interventions for GP and develop a standardized treatment protocol to address the condition systematically.