[ELI5] When you accidentally inhale something, like water or food, and you cough it mostly up and are fine, how does the rest get out of your lungs and how do you not get pneumonia?

Question

[ELI5] When you accidentally inhale something, like water or food, and you cough it mostly up and are fine, how does the rest get out of your lungs and how do you not get pneumonia?

In: Biology

Answer 1

just as a side point and I see it all the time. you should never throw peanuts in the air and catch them in your mouth because if they go down the wrong way and into your lungs, you may well cough it back up but the peanut oil will soak into the lung membrane like blotting paper and kill that part