eli5: Why does it hurt so bad in the chest when you swallow air while you drink something?

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It really feels like an heart attack and I don’t understand why

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2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Food/drink doesn’t just fall down your throat due to gravity, it is forced down by powerful muscles in your torso and neck (that’s why you can drink upside down. try it!)

As a consequence, if air is trying to force its way up the esophagus while the esophagus is trying to push food down, the muscles spasm and hurt for a sec because they’re confused

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