Does air enter oesophagus while eating?

[scilearner]

Hello everyone,

 

When you swallow food I know nasopharynx closes and cricopharyngeus muscle relaxes. This means air can enter oesophagus easily right? Then why are we not burping all the time while eating. Thanks

[insane_alien]

yes air can and does enter the oesophagus.

 

we don't burp all the time because you have a sphincter on the top of your stomach that can hold some pressure(otherwise you'd vomit if you were upside down, or even lying on your back).

 

also, there isn't much of a pressure difference inspiring flow into the oesophagus. so mass transfer will be quite limited.

[tomgwyther]

also, there isn't much of a pressure difference inspiring flow into the oesophagus. so mass transfer will be quite limited.

 

You can force it down though.

I went to school with someone who could forcibly inflate his oesophagus by swallowing air the burp the alphabet!

 

He now works for IBM

[insane_alien]

You can force it down though.

I went to school with someone who could forcibly inflate his oesophagus by swallowing air the burp the alphabet!

 

He now works for IBM

 

yes, most people can learn to do that, i can do it do instance.

[tomgwyther]

yes, most people can learn to do that, i can do it do instance.

 

Cool, I've tried but it never worked properly.

Maybe with enough of you, you could form a choir!

[John Cuthber]

yes, most people can learn to do that, i can do it do instance.

 

What, you work for IBM?

[insane_alien]

no, i work for evil biotech corporations, not evil computer corporations.

 

Note incase my employer realises who i am: I do not believe the company is evil, this statement was made in jest, please don't fire me.

[scilearner]

Ok thank you both