Swallow Gagging

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Swallow Gagging

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
Illustration of a person thinking with cross bandaids.
Illustration of a person thinking with cross bandaids.
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Illustration of various health care options.
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.
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Fass R. Approach to the evaluation of dysphagia in adults. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Sept. 21, 2021.
Ferri FF. Dysphagia. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2022. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Sept. 21, 2021.
Dysphagia. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/dysphagia. Accessed Sept. 21, 2021.
Dysphagia. Merck Manual Professional Version https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/esophageal-and-swallowing-disorders/dysphagia#. Accessed Sept. 21, 2021.
Lembo AJ. Oropharyngeal dysphagia: Clinical features, diagnosis, and management. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Sept. 24, 2021.
Dysphagia. American College of Gastroenterology. https://gi.org/topics/dysphagia/. Accessed Sept. 21, 2001.
Panebianco M., et al. Dysphagia in neurological diseases: A literature review. Neurological Sciences. 2020; doi:10.1007/s10072-020-04495-2.
Aging and swallowing. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/content/swallowing-trouble. Accessed Sept. 25, 2021.
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Wentworth MA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Sept. 29, 2021.



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The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your mouth and your stomach. Rings of muscle (sphincters) in the upper and lower portions contract and relax to allow food and liquid to pass.
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing — taking more time and effort to move food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach. Dysphagia can be painful. In some cases, swallowing is impossible.
Occasional difficulty swallowing, such as when you eat too fast or don't chew your food well enough, usually isn't cause for concern. But persistent dysphagia can be a serious medical condition requiring treatment.
Dysphagia can occur at any age, but it's more common in older adults. The causes of swallowing problems vary, and treatment depends on the cause.
Signs and symptoms associated with dysphagia can include:
See your health care provider if you regularly have difficulty swallowing or if weight loss, regurgitation or vomiting accompanies your dysphagia.
If an obstruction interferes with breathing, call for emergency help immediately. If you're unable to swallow because you feel that food is stuck in your throat or chest, go to the nearest emergency department.
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Swallowing is complex, involving many muscles and nerves. Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing or leads to a narrowing of the back of the throat or esophagus can cause dysphagia.
Dysphagia generally falls into one of the following categories.
Esophageal dysphagia refers to the sensation of food sticking or getting caught in the base of your throat or in your chest after you've started to swallow. Some of the causes of esophageal dysphagia include:
Certain conditions can weaken the throat muscles, making it difficult to move food from your mouth into your throat and esophagus when you start to swallow. You might choke, gag or cough when you try to swallow or have the sensation of food or fluids going down your windpipe (trachea) or up your nose. This can lead to pneumonia.
Causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia include:
The following are risk factors for dysphagia:
Although swallowing difficulties can't be prevented, you can reduce your risk of occasional difficulty swallowing by eating slowly and chewing your food well. However, if you have signs or symptoms of dysphagia, see your health care provider.
If you have GERD ,
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