When drinking water and it “goes down the wrong pipe” is that water entering your airways? And if so, how does it go away?

Question

When drinking water and it “goes down the wrong pipe” is that water entering your airways? And if so, how does it go away?

In: 1309

Answer 1

There is a little flap called the epiglottis, and if it’s not down all the way then the liquid goes “down the wrong pipe” and begins to go into your lungs. Obviously, your body knows that this is not supposed to happen so it begins to expel the liquid by coughing. This is a very good thing, because if not you could be looking at pneumonia.