Coughing After Food Going Down Wind Pipe, Now Sorenes, Urge To Cough, Can Breath Normally. Should I Go To ER?

Posted on Fri, 17 Aug 2012

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

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 Answered on

Sat, 8 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I was eating a pasta salad with small chopped vegetables two days ago. I was eating too fast took a breath while still having food in my mouth and felt a small piece fly into my airway. I coughed for a while but nothing came up. I feel like I can feel it almost like a bump and my windpipe (?) is sore. I have continued urgd to cough but nothing comes up. Not sure what to do but thinking ER. I can breath fine.

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (6 hours later)

Hello
Thanks for the query.
I don't think that any vegetable piece is still remaining inside because had it happened,you would have developed choking,continuous cough and breathing difficulties.
Continuous cough and irritation of wind pipe is giving you a feeling of soreness and something stuck inside.
However you are not suffering from any breathing difficulties and this means that every thing is fine.Just wait for few days,do saline gargles and take hot water to drink,you shall be alright soon.
If your problem persists for more than couple of days or if it worsens,then you may think of going to ER.

Please do write if you have any more query to ask.
Best of luck.
Thanks

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