Suggest Remedies When Food Accidentally Goes Down The Wrong Pipe

Posted on Wed, 24 Aug 2016

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

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 Answered on

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : My son has a nacho chip stuck in his wind pipe. He is breathing ok but is very uncomfotable and just vomitted after drinking alot of liquids. What should i do?

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Airway foreign body vs esophageal spasm.

Detailed Answer:
Hello -

If you are sure it is in his wind pipe (pharynx) and not in the esophagus (tube that goes down to the stomach), then he should go in to the Emergency Room, as any food or foreign material lodged in the pharynx is a dangerous situation that can impair breathing.

If it is in his esophagus and he is able to swallow sips of liquids, the chip should start to disintegrate. But if it is not, a trip to the ER will help this too as the doctor's can give medication to relax the esophagus, allowing stuck food to pass.

Please let me know how he is doing.

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