If a large piece of food went down the wrong way, you’d know about it, wouldn’t you?

[symonsays]

DSis concerned as she needed to cough midway through a mouthful of pizza. She felt it move ‘to the back of her throat’ and is worried it’s gone down the wrong way. Surely you would be coughing like crazy if a large piece of food had gone the wrong way?

Yes. It would be very very unpleasant and you would be coughing like crazy

Yup. You'd know about it. Food doesn't just slip into lungs and sit there without a violent reaction.

Sometimes it feels like it has but really it's gone down the right way but a rather big piece so you feel it for a while afterwards

Yes, you'd either be coughing until the food came up or you'd choke to death.

Thanks all. I thought so, too. She’s read about aspiration which she is worried about. I just can’t see how it would be possible really - even if she was coughing it would have gone down the oesophagus anyway one would think

Yes, sure. It does sometimes happen with me. Bread rolls, crisps and often, water!!

She'd know. It's nothing to worry about.

I'm a bit concerned that she's so anxious about this. I'm a speech therapist. Everybody aspirates a bit here and there. Is this an existing problem with anxiety that has found something new to latch onto?