When drinking water and it “goes down the wrong pipe” is that water entering your airways? And if so, how does it go away?
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When this happens stand up, bend forward as far as you can, cough a few times, and Bob’s your uncle. It works for me every time.
It either gets coughed out and/or absorbed through the lung tissue.
Too much liquid down the can lead to infections like pneumonia though. So if you know someone who is constantly getting stuff into their lungs, make sure you consult a dietitian.
I‘d like to point out that Cilia also exist.
They are hair-like structures lining your windpipe. They move in a rhythm to slowly push the mucus towards you mouth sl you spit it put or swallow it.
Now I‘m not 100% sure on this, but it seeems reasonable to me that those cilia would also move out any water droplets that the coughing didnt get out.
It does go into the airway, hopefully the reflex cough pushes it out but if not the water can have a small amount be absorbed, and theoretically can evaporate and leave the lungs (breathing out in a steamy shower is sort I’ve a demonstration of this). And if the water doesn’t come out (happens due to a defect or above a small amount of water is in the lungs at a hospital the liquid in the lung can be drained out. If food however gets trapped in the airways and cannot be dislodged a removal under anesthesia with a bronchoscope is necessary.
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