5. Coughing and Choking: The Unscheduled Interruptions
Imagine this: you’re engrossed in a fascinating conversation, and suddenly you find yourself coughing uncontrollably or feeling like you’re about to choke. The culprit? It’s not some foreign object or an errant piece of food; it’s a classic symptom of esophageal achalasia making its presence felt.
This symptom often lurks in the background, biding its time and choosing the least opportune moments to surface. It’s like an unwelcome guest crashing an already crowded party, making its presence felt in a rather abrupt and jarring manner.
Now let’s get technical for a second: why does this happen? It boils down to the esophagus losing its ability to move food down effectively. As a result, food or liquid can pool at the back of the throat, triggering the cough or choking reflex. It’s an automatic, bodily response to an unusual situation.
What’s fascinating is that this symptom doesn’t always correlate with mealtime. You might experience it while talking, laughing, or even sleeping. The unpredictability makes it a disruptive force in your life, one that you can’t just wish away. (5)
