Our stories are similar: My discomfort's in my mouth and throat as well, and one sensation's present and the same every waking moment (regardless of my anxiety level and other distractions).
Briefly, I'll say this: dysphagia's a wide net of a term — a symptom (different symptoms actually), not...
Isn't it weird that this "obvious" thing IS an epiphany for most of us? And that we have to keep reminding ourselves of it? I think that's practically universal — along with feeling like a "child" in relation to our parents, no matter how old we get.