What to do if food gets stuck in the esophagus

When eating, you may accidentally cause foreign objects to get stuck in your throat due to laughing or eating too quickly. This can easily lead to lung infection and may even cause difficulty breathing. When food is stuck in the esophagus, you first need to drink more water and be sure to remove it in time.

The esophagus is also called the esophagus. When there is a foreign body stuck in the esophagus, it is called an esophageal foreign body or esophageal foreign body.

The causes of esophageal foreign bodies in children are the same as those of pharyngeal foreign bodies.

There are three physiological narrow parts of the esophagus: upper, middle and lower. The upper end of the esophagus is the narrowest, so foreign objects are most likely to get stuck there. Once a foreign body occurs in the esophagus, pain will occur. The pain may be in the neck or behind the sternum, and the pain will be aggravated when swallowing. Dysphagia may also occur, which is caused by foreign body blockage and pain.

Sharp foreign objects often puncture the esophagus and cause local inflammation. Severe damage and spread of inflammation can cause serious complications such as mediastinitis, lung infection or esophageal tracheal fistula. Esophageal foreign bodies at the second physiological narrowing site are close to the aorta and may cause fatal massive bleeding due to the loss of the aorta, which is very dangerous.

If children have foreign bodies in their esophagus, they should never handle it on their own. It is absolutely forbidden to press it down with rice balls or steamed buns, because doing so may cause further damage to the esophagus, resulting in serious consequences and making treatment difficult. The child must be sent to the hospital immediately. The doctor can use X-ray to determine the size, shape and location of the foreign body, and use an esophagoscopy to observe and remove the foreign body.

To prevent the occurrence of esophageal foreign bodies, the following two aspects should be focused on: first, educate children not to play or laugh with objects in their mouths; second, chew slowly when eating, which is not only conducive to the digestion and absorption of food, but also can avoid the occurrence of esophageal foreign bodies.