How long does it take for something stuck in your throat to go away

If you feel like you have food stuck in your throat, it can be uncomfortable, annoying or even painful. Here’s how to determine what’s causing the unpleasant sensation and how to get relief.

Table of Contents Show

What to do if someone is choking
Signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease
When to seek medical care if you feel like something is stuck in your throat
Choking in children
Choking in older adults
Dysphagia and choking
Can you have something stuck in your throat for days?
How long does it take for something stuck in your throat to go down?
Will something stuck in your throat go away on its own?
How do you get rid of the feeling of something stuck in your throat?

“The most common reason people feel like they have food stuck in their throat is dysphagia due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),” says Loreli Garnica, M.D., a Piedmont family medicine physician. “GERD is also known as heartburn or reflux.”

That said, the first thing you want to do is make sure you don’t actually have food stuck in your throat, as this can cause a medical emergency.

“Food can get stuck in the top part of the esophagus, which can go into the windpipe and cause air obstruction and choking,” says Dr. Garnica.

What to do if someone is choking

The signs that someone is choking include:

Inability to talk
Difficulty breathing
Noisy or squeaky breathing
Blue lips, nails or skin
Skin that’s flushed, then turns pale or bluish
Coughing
Drooling

If a person can cough forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing. If they are choking and can’t talk or cough forcefully, try the following techniques from the American Red Cross:

Start by giving them five back blows. Bend them forward and hit them on their back between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Repeat five times.
Perform the Heimlich maneuver and give them five abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist. If a child is choking, kneel behind them. Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side at the person’s midsection. Cover your fist with your other hand. Squeeze their abdomen with five quick, upward thrusts.
Repeat these two techniques until the person can breathe or cough again. If they become unconscious, call 911 and start CPR.
Never perform a blind finger sweep (where you use your finger to try to dislodge the item from their mouth or throat). This can push the object further into their airway.

If you’re choking and alone:

Call 911.
Place your fist just above your belly button.
Wrap your other hand around your first.
Bend over a hard surface like a chair or countertop.
Firmly press your first inward and upward.

It can be helpful to take a first aid class to learn these techniques from a professional. Having these skills can save someone’s life.

Signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease

If you feel like food is stuck in your throat, but you’re not choking, the most common culprit is GERD. Sip some water and take an over-the-counter antacid like Tums, Dr. Garnica suggests.

Symptoms of GERD include:

Feeling like there’s a lump in your throat
Trouble swallowing
Chronic cough
A burning sensation in your chest (Unlike a heart attack, GERD presents as more of a burning sensation, while a heart attack feels like chest tightness or pressure, she says.)

For chronic heartburn symptoms, Dr. Garnica recommends making lifestyle changes first. The following lifestyle modifications can help relieve symptoms:

Avoid triggers like spicy, fatty or acidic foods.
Don’t lie down for at least three hours after eating.
Quit smoking if you currently smoke.
Eat smaller meals.
Elevate the head of your bed by about six inches.

“If lifestyle changes don’t work, we have medications we can try, including over-the-counter and prescription antacids,” she says. “Left untreated, GERD can potentially cause damage to the esophagus and even lead to esophageal cancer.”

When to seek medical care if you feel like something is stuck in your throat

“Be aware of your symptoms and listen to your body,” says Dr. Garnica. “If you have any health concerns, it’s always a good idea to seek medical evaluation.”

We make getting great health care simple and convenient. Schedule an appointment today through your Piedmont MyChart account or our website.

Having food stuck in the throat can be uncomfortable and scary. However, being able to recognize the signs of choking and knowing what to do in an emergency can help save a person’s life.

The process of swallowing food involves a number of involuntary muscle movements. Most of the time, these muscle movements prevent food from becoming stuck in the throat.

First, the tongue pushes food to the back of the throat. This is where the openings of the esophagus (food pipe) and windpipe are located. As a person swallows, a flap of cartilage called the epiglottis closes off the windpipe. This temporarily stops breathing and prevents food from entering the airways.

At the same time, a muscle called the upper esophageal sphincter relaxes, allowing food to move into the esophagus.

Sometimes, however, food get can stuck in the esophagus, creating an uncomfortable sensation in the throat or chest. At other times, the epiglottis does not close sufficiently during swallowing, which allows food to enter the airways. This can result in choking.

Both types of blockage can cause pain and discomfort. However, a blockage in the windpipe can be a medical emergency. Keep reading to learn what to do if food becomes stuck in the throat.

Share on PinterestIf food gets stuck in the esophagus, it can create an uncomfortable sensation in the throat or chest.

When food enters the windpipe, it can partially or completely block the airways.

Sometimes, persistent or forceful coughing can dislodge the food. At other times, a blockage that occurs in the windpipe or voice box can result in choking.

Choking refers to breathing difficulties resulting from acute obstruction of the airways. A person who is choking is unable to inhale or exhale enough air to cough.

The following symptoms may indicate that a person is choking:

silent coughing or gagging
wheezing
clutching the throat
an inability to speak or breathe
a blue tint to the skin, called cyanosis

A person who cannot speak, cough, or breathe may require the Heimlich maneuver. This procedure, also known as abdominal thrusts, involves forcefully applying pressure to the abdomen to dislodge a blockage in the windpipe.

The Heimlich maneuver is only required in emergency situations. A person should only perform the Heimlich maneuver on someone who is choking.

The procedure is not suitable for children under 1 year of age or women in the late stages of pregnancy. These people may require different variations of the maneuver.

The American College of Emergency Physicians provide some instructions for performing the Heimlich maneuver. Before performing it on someone who is conscious, a person should confirm that the other person is choking by asking, “Are you choking?”

Only proceed with the maneuver if the person nods yes and cannot seem to speak, cough, or breathe for themselves.

To perform the Heimlich maneuver:

Step 1: Stand behind the person and reach both arms around their waist.
Step 2: Clench one fist and position it so that it is above the person’s navel and below their ribcage.
Step 3: Clasp the clenched fist with the other hand.
Step 4: Quickly thrust the clenched fist backward and upward under their ribcage. Do this 6–10 times in quick succession.
Step 5: Continue to perform abdominal thrusts until the obstruction dislodges from the airways or until the emergency services arrive.
Step 6: Ensure that the person receives medical attention as soon as possible, even if they have stopped choking.

If the person stops breathing and becomes unresponsive, they should receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

A person who is alone while choking may need to perform the Heimlich maneuver on themselves. If a chair is available, they can lean over the back of the chair while performing the maneuver. This should help dislodge blockages from the airways.

Share on PinterestSwallowing fluids can help remove food obstructions.

Unless a person is choking, food stuck in the throat is not always a major medical emergency. If the person is not choking, coughing hard may help dislodge food from the throat.

Sometimes, the obstruction occurs in the esophagus. This is called a food bolus impaction (FBI). Although uncomfortable, medical professionals do not consider an esophageal FBI to be as significant a medical emergency as choking.

People who have food stuck in the esophagus can try the following tips to help dislodge it:

Swallowing fluids or soft foods: This can help lubricate the food or push it downward.
Taking effervescent tablets: These over-the-counter tablets cause carbon dioxide gas to form, which helps relieve food blockages by pushing them downward.
Drinking carbonated drinks: These may work in a similar way to effervescent tablets.
Taking simethicone: This drug helps bring gas bubbles together in a larger density. This causes pressure in the esophagus that may help release food blockages.

In 2015, more than 5,000 people died from choking.

Choking can affect people of any age. However, it is more common in children ages 0–3 years and in adults over the age of 60.

Choking is the fourth leading cause of accidental death.

Choking in children

Choking is the leading cause of infant death and the fourth leading cause of death among preschool children.

Children most commonly choke on food, coins, balloons, and small toys.

Choking in older adults

Older people produce less saliva, which makes it difficult for them to move food to the back of their mouth when swallowing.

Certain conditions that are more common in older age can also increase the risk of choking. Examples include dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Dysphagia and choking

Some people experience dysphagia, which is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Dysphagia can increase a person’s risk of choking.

Certain muscle disorders and nervous system disorders that affect the nerves involved in swallowing can cause dysphagia. Examples of conditions that can cause dysphagia include:

stroke
head injury
cerebral palsy
Parkinson’s disease
dementia
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Dysphagia can also develop after sustaining an injury to the esophagus.

A person should make an appointment with their doctor if they frequently experience one or more of the following:

difficulty swallowing
food stuck in the windpipe
food blockages in the esophagus

Doctors who treat swallowing disorders use diagnostic tests to examine the different stages of the swallowing process. These tests may include:

Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing: This technique uses an endoscope to view the swallowing mechanisms inside the mouth and throat. Doctors examine how the mechanisms respond to different stimuli, such as food, liquids, and puffs of air.
Video fluoroscopic swallow study: This uses real time X-rays of a person as they are swallowing. This helps doctors identify issues at different stages of the swallowing process.

Based on the results of these diagnostic tests, a doctor may recommend certain strategies to improve safety when swallowing. Some examples include:

making changes to the size and texture of food
making changes to head and neck position when eating
trying behavioral maneuvers when swallowing, such as tucking in the chin
trying medical or surgical interventions

Share on PinterestEating smaller mouthfuls of food may help prevent food obstructions.

The following tips can help prevent food obstructions from developing in the esophagus and windpipe:

eating smaller mouthfuls of food
chewing food slowly and thoroughly before swallowing
not drinking too much alcohol before or during meals
not eating food “on the go”

Unlike adults, who mainly choke on food, children can also choke on toys or small objects. The following tips can help prevent choking in children:

keeping small objects out of reach of children
supervising young children when they are eating or playing
making sure that children sit upright to eat
chopping food into small pieces before giving it to children
encouraging children to chew food slowly and thoroughly

Also, people should avoid giving the following foods to children below 3–4 years of age:

small, hard foods, such as nuts, dried fruits, and hard candies
slippery foods, such as grapes, hotdogs, and large pieces of meat
sticky foods, such as taffy, gummy candies, and marshmallows
nut butters from a spoon or finger

Food obstructions can sometimes develop in the esophagus or windpipe. Food blockages in the esophagus are generally not a major medical emergency.

However, food blockages in the windpipe can lead to choking. People who are choking require emergency treatment.

The Heimlich maneuver, also known as abdominal thrusts, is a first aid method that people can use to remove blockages from a person’s windpipe. However, it is not suitable for use on children under 1 and heavily pregnant women.

People who frequently have trouble swallowing should see their doctor. They may be able to diagnose the cause of the swallowing difficulties. They may also offer tips and techniques to improve safety when swallowing.

Can you have something stuck in your throat for days?

“Most people with food obstruction can almost always identify what they ate that is now stuck in their esophagus,” says gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD. “But with globus pharyngeus, most people describe the sensation as a lump that has been affecting their swallowing for weeks or months.”

How long does it take for something stuck in your throat to go down?

This feeling usually goes away within 30 to 60 minutes if you drink liquids or eat a piece of bread.

Will something stuck in your throat go away on its own?

Wait it out Food that gets stuck in the throat usually passes on its own, given some time. Give your body a chance to do its thing.

How do you get rid of the feeling of something stuck in your throat?

You should drink in small sips as swallowing helps to relax the throat. Avoid too much alcohol, tea, coffee and fizzy drinks. They can cause the throat to be dry. Try to reduce the amount of fatty and spicy food in your diet.