Ask the doctor: What can be done about a lump in the back of the throat?

Q. I often feel like I have a lump of mucus in my throat. In the morning I spit some of it up, but the sensation doesn't go away. What can I do about it?

A. Doctors sometimes use the term "globus sensation" for the feeling of a lump in the throat. It's one of those minor maladies about which we know only a little, since medical research focuses mainly on the diseases that are disabling or fatal rather than the symptoms that constantly aggravate us.