Food Aspiration-Infection Fear

[Emily999]

I swolled a small piece of chicken yesterday.  I had a sudden realization that it was hard to swallow.  I began to hiccup and burp.  I could still take air in, but I felt like I had the food lodged in my chest.  My sister began to pat my upper back and had me breath deeply.  I threw up food and a yellow substance twice.  The last time, my mouth filled with a clear substance.  I know that the vomit did not come from my stomach.  It felt like it came from my chest.  My chest hurts today..it's gotten a bit worse as the day goes on.  Is the vomiting normal and do I have to worry about further complications?

Thank you.

[National Jewish Health]

The stuff you threw-up could have come from your throat or stomach, especially what you swallowed the 2 to 3 times before this chicken lodged in your throat.  The real question is did some part of the chicken remain in your windpipe.  If so, especially with worsening pain, you better have a chest x-ray.  If anything remains in your windpipe, it may have to be removed.

[poolshark]

I've had problems for years with a constant cough, but the past few years has developed into a really hard cough when I eat. I often get strangled on food, cough til' I pass out or throw up the food and some mucus.  After some tests, the dr put me on Bethanechol Chloride.  It works on the esophagus to make it move the food down.  Have been on it about a week now and have not gotten strangled from eating at all. Maybe this will help you.

[NotApplePie]

Severe, sudden vomiting can lead to a small tear or rupture in your esophagus. You may have expelled some fluid from your lungs from the wretching?, but keep a close eye on the level of pain you are experiencing. If it becomes worse, I would go to the Doc/ER for an exam to make sure you haven't injured something in the esophagus.