He may be convinced that there is a bone or other object stuck in the throat. A foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree usually stimulates coughing and wheezing. Obstruction of the esophagus produces drooling and spitting up of whatever fluid is swallowed.
Patients can accurately tell if a foreign body is on the left or right side.
If symptoms are mild, test the patient's ability to swallow, first using a small cup of water and then small piece of bread. See what symptoms are reproduced, or if the bread eliminates the foreign body sensation. Percuss and auscultate the patient's chest. A foreign body sensation in the throat can be produced by a pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, or esophageal disease, all of which may show up on a chest x ray. With the patient sitting in a chair, inspect the oropharynx with a tongue depressor, looking for foreign bodies or abrasions Inspect the hypopharynx with a good light or headlamp mirror, paying special attention to the base of the tongue, tonsils and vallecula, where foreign bodies are likely to lodge.