Anytime you have a sore throat, there will be some swelling. This may feel as if something is stuck in your throat. The mucus will also feel like something is stuck in your throat. Try to drink lots of water to help dislodge the mucus. It won't matter if you swallow the mucus--it may not sound pleasant, but it won't hurt you and the acids in your stomach will kill any germs that are in the mucus. All these symptoms are a normal response to an irritation of the throat from a virus or a bacteria.