Overview The cricopharyngeus muscle is a circular muscle that sits around the top of the food pipe, the tube that passes food from the mouth into the stomach. The muscle is responsible for opening and closing the food pipe. A Cricopharyngeal spasm occurs when the cricopharyngeus muscle gets overly contracted. The condition is usually harmless, apart from the nuisance and discomfort it causes. The most common symptom of the condition is that the affected individual feels a perpetual ‘lump’ in the throat, which is also known as globus pharyngeus. Causes Cricopharyngeal spasms can be caused by a number of underlying conditions, such as: In some cases, cricopharyngeal spasms can be caused by neurological conditions or damaging events, such as a stroke, or they can occur because of cricopharyngeal dysfunction. In such cases, a neurologist is better consulted. When associated with cricopharyngeal dysfunction, muscle spasms may cause dysphagia or difficulty swallowing