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

Breathe in and out. Now swallow.
You should feel that spot in the throat(the trachea flap) close against the back of your throat when you swallow.

When you breathe, flap opens for your lungs. When you swallow or drink water or eat food-your body understands automatically that the flap need stay closed.

When water “goes down the wrong pipe”, it means your flap opened. It mainly happens when you drink lukewarm water, because your senses have a hard time picking apart air from water at that state.