 [ Symptoms ] why should i take colds seriously with emphysema or chronic bronchitis [ Disease ] there are a few possibilities first there actually could be something caught in your throat but this would take a thorough examination by an ent using a fiberoptic scope to make that call second inflammation from variety of events including reflux perhaps from a hiatal hernia as you mentioned something compressing your esophagus thyroid  irritation from foodmedicinessmoking etc third it could be psychological but before anyone tries to make this assumptiion all organic causes need to be ruled out