You have probably had the experience of getting a piece of food caught in your esophagus. In general, this occurs if you eat too quickly or neglect to chew a piece of bread, meat or other dry food well. While getting a piece of food stuck now and then is not a cause for concern, difficult or painful swallowing can indicate a serious medical problem. If you get food stuck often, see your doctor.
Taking It Slowly
If you have food caught in your esophagus, try taking a drink of water and eating more slowly. If necessary, cut your food into smaller pieces and chew your food carefully. If you smoke, drink a lot of alcohol or have dental problems, you might be more susceptible to having trouble chewing or swallowing your food. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, you might also be more likely to have the sensation of getting food stuck. If this is the case, avoiding foods that tend to trigger your GERD symptoms, losing weight and eating smaller meals might help.
Dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia, occurs for a variety of reasons. Often, you might feel as though food is stuck in your throat or esophagus when in fact none is there. Eating more slowly and chewing your food well will not help ease dysphagia that is caused by other problems, such as tumors, esophageal muscle spasms or neurological disorders. These health issues require a consultation with a physician, who can run swallow tests to find out what is causing your discomfort.
Herbal Remedies
Once you have been diagnosed by a doctor, talk to the physician about whether herbal remedies might help your esophageal discomfort. Do not take any herbal supplements without your doctor's advice and supervision. Licorice might help relax your esophagus and prevent food from getting stuck if you have muscle spasms or GERD. Slippery elm and marshmallow teas might allow food to go down your esophagus more smoothly if you have tissue damage. Valerian, skullcap and linden flower might also be useful in calming esophageal spasms.
Considerations
If you notice that you are getting food stuck in your esophagus, you might consciously or unconsciously begin limiting the foods you eat to make it easier to swallow. As time goes on, if the problem persists or gets worse, you run the risk of becoming dehydrated or malnourished. If you have a cancerous or benign tumor pressing on your esophagus, changing your diet to make yourself more comfortable might allow it to grow without being evaluated by a doctor. If you have lasting difficulty swallowing, see a doctor promptly.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; "Dysphagia"; Steven Ehrlich; March 9, 2010
- MayoClinic.com; "Difficulty Swallowing"; October 10, 2009
- American Cancer Society; "How is Cancer of the Esophagus Diagnosed?"; August 20, 2010
- TeensHealth; "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease"; Dr. Mitchell Cohen; April 2008
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