Can A Large Piece Of Taco Remain Stuck In Throat Causing Acute Pain ?

Posted on Sat, 30 Apr 2011

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : about 2 hours ago i took to large of a bite of a taco. It felt like it got stuck. I have drank about 120 oz of water and i'm still in a lot of pain. I'm wondering if I should go to the hospital

Answered by Dr. Sapan J. Pandya (33 minutes later)

Hi Mary!,
Thanks for your query.

If you have chewed your Taco well, there is no chance that it would get stuck. Only the ulcer / sore causes the foreign body sensation and the pain you are feeling may be because of the friction caused by the hard Taco.

Hard Foreign Bodies cause scraping to the tender mucous membrane of the mouth, pharynx & esophagus causing ulcer / sore. This leads to severe pain and feeling that something has got stuck.
You may use BENZOCAINE 20% solution for gargling. If it is not available you may do plain water gargling. Kindly see that water is not hot as this may increase the pain.

Do not eat anything hot or spicy for a week.

If the sensation persists after gargling 5-6 times you may have go to a hospital.

I shall await the news of your recovery in follow-up.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar