Gagging Throat

Gagging Throat

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What do I do if my baby is gagging?

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Kelly Burch is a freelance journalist who has covered health topics for more than 10 years. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and more.
Benjamin F. Asher, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist. He has a private practice in New York City where he focuses on natural and integrative healing.

Gagging is caused by the gag reflex, or pharyngeal reflex. 1

Usually, the reflex is activated when something touches the base of the tongue or tonsil area, but it can also be triggered by your other senses, including taste, smell, sight, and sound. 2 That will cause you to experience symptoms of gagging that include muscle convulsions and noises.

Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of gagging, and when they might be cause for concern. Why gagging is so common in babies, and what you should do if your infant is gagging also are covered.

The main symptom of gagging is the contraction of the pharyngeal muscles . When these muscles contract, the soft palate, located in the back of the roof of the mouth, also raises up. 1 These muscle movements are meant to move food or anything else in the mouth toward the front of the mouth in order to avoid choking.

Additional symptoms of gagging include: 3

Gagging and choking are not the same thing. Gagging is an involuntary movement meant to prevent choking. The person gagging can still breathe. Choking is when the airway is blocked or partially blocked. If a person is unable to breath, call 911 immediately.

Infants have a more sensitive gag reflex than older children and adults. This makes it common for them to gag when eating new foods. Usually, this is not a cause for concern but rather a normal part of learning how to eat solid foods. 3

Symptoms of gagging in babies include: 3

If your baby gags, don’t panic. Remember, it’s a natural reaction when learning to eat. However, if your baby isn’t making noise or the baby's skin changes color, they may be choking. Perform the infant Heimlich maneuver and call 911 if that happens.

The gag reflex is controlled in the brain stem. The brain stem also includes the vagus nerve and medulla oblongata . These areas of the brain also control cardiac activity, vomiting, and the salivary glands. So, although rare, you may experience additional symptoms when you gag, including: 3

Gagging is usually harmless. For infants, it’s entirely normal. But for adults it can be physically uncomfortable and embarrassing. A very sensitive gag reflex can interfere with your ability to try new foods or get dental exams. In extreme cases, this could lead to nutritional deficiencies, feeding problems, or dental health concerns.

About 10% to 15% of people have a hypersensitive gag reflex. 1 These people might gag in various circumstances, including when they have postnasal drip or when experiencing anxiety. They’re more likely to gag at the dentist, too.

Gagging is normal and common, especially in infants. However, a child or adult that frequently gags beyond infancy might have an underlying health condition including:

Talk to your healthcare provider if:

Gagging is a reflex that causes the throat and palate to spasm. This is meant to cause objects in the mouth to move toward the front to prevent choking. Gagging is common among babies who are learning to eat and less common among older kids and adults. However, if you gag frequently, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

Watching your baby gag can be scary. But it’s entirely normal and expected. Continue to offer them solid food. Don’t hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider if you or your child have severe gagging.

No, gagging is a reflex meant to prevent choking. The main symptom of gagging is a throat spasm. Choking is when food or an object gets caught in the through, partially or fully blocking the airway.
Gagging is a normal and expected part of eating for infants. Stay calm if your baby gags. But if they begin choking, meaning they can’t breath, call 911.
Infants have a more sensitive gag reflex. It’s meant to protect them as they learn to eat solid foods. As they transition to more solid foods, their gag reflex becomes less sensitive, and they’ll stop gagging as much.
Sivakumar S, Prabhu A. Physiology, gag reflex . In: StatPearls . StatPearls Publishing.

By Kelly Burch

Kelly Burch is has written about health topics for more than a decade. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and more.

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Read about What Causes Gagging & Common Gagging Symptoms
Resident at Children Hospital of Philadelphia
Associate Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Resident at Children Hospital of Philadelphia
Associate Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
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Autoimmune inflammation of the esophagus
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Associate Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Abdominal pain is usually a sign of a common illness or infection. Other causes include indigestion, a stomach ulcer, IBS, or food poisoning.
Nausea is that queasy feeling in your stomach that makes you feel like you're going to vomit. Usually, nausea is from an infection, pregnancy, taking certain medication, or acid reflux.
Your cough can be caused by viruses, bacterial infections, COVID-19, allergies, and a number of other conditions. Learn what your cough symptoms mean, how to get the right diagnosis, and what treatments actually help.
Abdominal pain is usually a sign of a common illness or infection. Other causes include indigestion, a stomach ulcer, IBS, or food poisoning.
Nausea is that queasy feeling in your stomach that makes you feel like you're going to vomit. Usually, nausea is from an infection, pregnancy, taking certain medication, or acid reflux.
Your cough can be caused by viruses, bacterial infections, COVID-19, allergies, and a number of other conditions. Learn what your cough symptoms mean, how to get the right diagnosis, and what treatments actually help.
Abdominal pain is usually a sign of a common illness or infection. Other causes include indigestion, a stomach ulcer, IBS, or food poisoning.
Nausea is that queasy feeling in your stomach that makes you feel like you're going to vomit. Usually, nausea is from an infection, pregnancy, taking certain medication, or acid reflux.
Your cough can be caused by viruses, bacterial infections, COVID-19, allergies, and a number of other conditions. Learn what your cough symptoms mean, how to get the right diagnosis, and what treatments actually help.
Take a quiz to find out what's causing your gagging.
Gagging is usually caused by any foreign body that will irritate the lungs or bronchial tree. Acid reflux (GERD), inflammation of the epiglottis, or a mini stroke can cause a gag reflex. Read below for more information on causes and treatment options.
Take a quiz to find out what's causing your gagging.
The definition of "gag" or " gagging " is to suffer a throat spasm that makes swallowing or breathing difficult . Some people also associate "gagging" with dry heaving or retching, which is the sensation or feeling of vomiting without getting rid of any stomach contents.
These conditions are reflexes triggered when your airway closes while your diaphragm contracts. Gagging is often a normal defense mechanism your body uses to protect itself from potentially dangerous substances; however, sometimes gagging can signal a more serious underlying problem.
Symptoms that can be associated with gagging may include:
It is important to follow-up on your symptoms with your physician in order to get appropriate an diagnosis and care.
The proximal airway (or upper respiratory system) is composed of the nose, mouth, and throat. It connects to the lower respiratory system that includes the trachea, lungs, and segments (bronchial tree) that bring oxygen to these areas.
Gagging can be caused by any irritant that enters the airway and aggravates the lungs and bronchial tree. These irritants cause the airway to close-off as a means of protecting the body from potentially dangerous elements. Oxygen is temporarily blocked from coming into the body, and in turn, the diaphragm contracts as a means of allowing the lungs to expand and let in oxygen, even though there is none actually coming in.
Specific conditions that can lead to gagging are described below, including those are gastrointestinal, infection-related, environmental, and mechanical.
The digestive tract is composed of acids and enzymes for digesting food. The digestive tract is designed to be able to withstand these substances; however, the airway and esophagus are not accustomed. The stomach is meant to keep these acids from moving back up through the esophagus and causing irritation; however, these processes are not always perfect. When partially digested foods or acids improperly go back up the esophagus (GERD), symptoms such as discomfort, difficulty breathing, heartburn, and gagging can result.
The respiratory tract is extremely susceptible to infection due to its direct contact with the environment.
Just as bacteria can easily enter the upper respiratory tract, other substances from the environment (either intentionally or unintentionally) can enter the body and cause gagging.
Take a quiz to find out what's causing your gagging.
Causes that are mechanical in nature may involve the following.
This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.
Retropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It is a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
Top Symptoms: sore throat, loss of appetite, fever, shortness of breath, being severely ill
Transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is sometimes called a "mini stroke" or a "warning stroke." Any stroke means that blood flow somewhere in the brain has been blocked by a clot.
Risk factors include smoking, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, though anyone can experience a TIA.
Symptoms are "transient," meaning they come and go within minutes because the clot dissolves or moves on its own. Stroke symptoms include weakness, numbness, and paralysis on one side of the face and/or body; slurred speech; abnormal vision; and sudden, severe headache.
A TIA does not cause permanent damage because it is over quickly. However, the patient must get treatment because a TIA is a warning that a more damaging stroke is likely to occur. Take the patient to the emergency room or call 9-1-1.
Diagnosis is made through patient history; physical examination; CT scan or MRI; and electrocardiogram.
Treatment includes anticoagulant medication to prevent further clots. Surgery to clear some of the arteries may also be recommended.
Top Symptoms: dizziness, leg numbness, arm numbness, new headache, stiff neck
Symptoms that never occur with stroke or tia (transient ischemic attack): bilateral weakness
Retropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It is a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
This is a medical emergency. Please seek out urgent care at your closest Emergency Department today. Diagnosis is done with imaging. Treatment is immediate surgical drainage and antibiotics.
Epiglottitis is inflammation of the epiglottis, tissue that covers the trachea (windpipe), which helps prevent coughing or choking after swallowing. It is usually caused by the bacteria H. Influenzae but can also be caused by other bacteria or viruses that cause upper respiratory infections.
Call 911 immediately for an ambulance now! Epiglottis can be a life-threatening emergency. Though with proper treatment at a hospital, the outcome is usually good.
Top Symptoms: being severely ill, shortness of breath, fever, sore throat, pain with swallowing
Symptoms that never occur with inflammation of the epiglottis: cough
Guillain-Barre syndrome is an autoimmune condition triggered by infection. It causes damage to nerves in the body that control muscles. This leads to weakness, usually starting in the legs and then progressing to the arms.
Patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome should seek immediate medical care at an ER. Nerve damage can potentially impair your ability to control your heart and lungs. You may need to be admitted to the hospital.
When a non-food object is ingested, it can have unpredictable and potentially dangerous effects on the body.
You need to speak with a doctor to discuss whether the foreign object should be removed or allowed to pass through the digestive system. Often, the physician will want to take x-rays and closely monitor any changes in your GI tract.
Top Symptoms: vomiting, deep chest pain, behind the breast bone, trouble swallowing, swallowing of something potentially harmful, gagging
Symptoms that always occur with foreign body ingestion: swallowing of something potentially harmful
Symptoms that never occur with foreign body ingestion: choking
This condition, officially known as eosinophilic esophagitis, occurs when a certain type of white blood cell (eosinophil) builds up in the lining of the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The buildup leads to inflammation of the tissue, causing pain and difficulty swallowing.
You should visit your primary care physician to treat this condition. This is an immune disorder and is commonly treated with corticosteroids.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also called ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. It is a degenerative disease that destroys nerve cells, which eventually leads to loss of control over muscle function.
The cause of ALS is not known. It may be inherited and/or due to a chemical imbalance, faulty autoimmune response, or exposure to toxic environmental agents.
Symptoms include weakness; difficulty with speaking, swallowing, walking, or using the hands; and muscle cramps. The muscles of the arms, hands, legs, and feet are most involved at first. It does not affect the senses or a person's mental ability.
ALS is progressive, meaning it worsens over time. There is no cure, but supportive care can keep the patient comfortable and improve quality of life.
Diagnosis is made through several tests including blood tests; urine tests; MRI; electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity; nerve conduction studies; and sometimes muscle biopsy or spinal tap (lumbar puncture.)
Treatment involves medications to both slow the progression of the disease and ease the symptoms; respiratory therapy; physical therapy; occupational therapy; and psychological support.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is also called GERD , acid reflux disease, and heartburn. It is caused by a weakening in the muscle at the end of esophagus. This allows stomach acid to flow backward, or reflux, up into the esophagus.
Risks factors for GERD include obesity, smoking, diabetes, hiatal hernia, and pregnancy.
Symptoms include a painful burning sensation in the chest and throat, and sometimes difficulty swallowing.
If heartburn occurs more than twice a week, a doctor should be consulted. If symptoms are accompanied by jaw or arm pain, and/or shortness of breath, these may be signs of a heart attack and constitute a medical emergency.
Repeated exposure to stomach acid damages the lining of the esophagus, causing bleeding, pain, and scar tissue.
Diagnosis is made by patient history and sometimes by x-ray, upper endoscopy, or other tests to measure refluxed acid.
Treatment begins with over-the-counter antacids and lifestyle changes. Medication may be used to reduce stomach acid, and surgery may be done to strengthen the sphincter muscle at the lower end of the esophagus.
Take a quiz to find out what's causing your gagging.
As long as gagging is not causing severe difficulty breathing, treatment can begin at home. If incidents of gagging increase in frequency or severity, you should consult your physician.
Home remedies and lifestyle changes are often the first lines of treatment for gagging. Try the following suggestions to help alleviate your symptoms:
Though most cases of gagging do not require emergency treatment, prompt medical attention is necessary when your symptoms do not resolve on their own. See your physician especially if:
Seek emergency treatment if along with your gagging you experience the following. These may be a sign of a more serious condition:
Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.
The content available on buoy.com is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
COVID-19: Check your symptoms and find the right care. Try our AI assistant here. (Informed by current CDC guidelines.)

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