Table 6 Comparison of item, subscale and total scores between participant groups M (SD) in the discriminant analysis component of the study, n = 53

Abnormal sensation

4.0 (2.0)

3.6 (2.0)

2.8 (1.5)

2.7 (0.6)

6.7 (0.5)

.366

< .001

Phlegm

2.5 (1.2)

3.9 (2.1)

2.2 (1.3)

4.0 (1.7)

6.1 (1.0)

.146

< .001

Pain

5.6 (1.6)

5.6 (1.8)

6.4 (0.6)

6.0 (1.0)

6.8 (0.4)

.517

.113

Stuck

4.2 (1.8)

4.0 (2.2)

3.6 (1.8)

4.3 (1.5)

6.8 (0.4)

.794

< .001

Blocked

4.9 (2.0)

4.4 (2.1)

5.4 (1.3)

5.0 (1.7)

6.9 (0.3)

.912

.001

Tight

4.9 (2.0)

3.9 (1.8)

4.4 (1.8)

4.3 (2.5)

6.9 (0.4)

.837

< .001

Irritated

3.6 (1.5)

3.1 (1.5)

2.8 (1.5)

4.7 (2.1)

6.3 (0.5)

.280

< .001

Pushing on chest

6.1 (1.3)

5.0 (1.8)

5.8 (1.3)

5.0 (1.7)

7.0 (0.0)

.461

.001

Pressing on throat

6.1 (1.8)

4.6 (2.1)

5.8 (1.1)

5.0 (1.7)

6.9 (0.5)

.586

.002

Constriction

5.0 (1.6)

3.7 (1.9)

6.2 (0.8)

4.3 (1.5)

6.7 (0.7)

.153

< .001

Food catches

4.9 (1.6)

5.1 (1.7)

5.2 (1.8)

5.3 (2.1)

6.7 (0.7)

.857

.018

Tickle

3.7 (2.3)

3.5 (1.5)

3.0 (1.9)

3.7 (0.6)

6.4 (0.6)

.812

< .001

Itch

5.6 (1.9)

5.0 (2.0)

5.0 (2.3)

6.3 (0.6)

6.5 (0.5)

.636

.081

Hot burning

6.6 (0.8)

6.1 (1.5)

6.8 (0.5)

5.3 (1.5)

7.0 (0.0)

.115

.040

Total cumulative score ³

67.8 (17.8)

61.2 (17.9)

65.4 (12.0)

66.0 (11.0)

93.5 (3.2)

.955

< .001

Pain/thermal cumulative score ³

37.3 (12.0)

31.0 (15.4)

36.2 (6.9)

35.7 (7.1)

53.7 (1.9)

.891

.006

Obstruction cumulative score ³

33.8 (10.7)

29.2 (11.6)

33.4 (6.2)

31.0 (5.3)

47.5 (1.8)

.901

< .001

Irritation cumulative score ³

11.3 (4.2)

12.3 (5.0)

10.2 (4.6 )

14.0 (2.0)

19.0 (1.6)

.296

< .001

Total score ⁴

14.4 (3.3)

13.3 (3.6)

13.9 (2.5)

14.0 (2.0)

19.2 (0.7)

.951

< .001

Pain/thermal score ⁵

6.1 (0.9)

5.5 (1.5)

6.3 (0.6)

5.4 (1.4)

6.9 (0.1)

.430

.006

Irritation score ⁵

3.8 (1.4)

4.1 (1.7)

3.4 (1.5)

4.7 (0.7)

6.3 (0.6)

.458

< .001

Obstruction score ⁵

4.2 (1.3)

3.6 (1.5)

4.2 (0.8)

3.9 (0.6)

6.0 (0.2)

.901

< .001