How big is a persons airway and can food get there ?

[nec209]

I watch a show on TV of a person who swallowed toothbrush and the person was not choking (how can this be )but the ER doctor did not treat it has a emergency.

 

Other show a person swallowed plastic pen cap other kid a plastic toy very small the size of a pen cap ( not choking strange ) .The doctor said it come out going through the bathroom and if not than come back.

 

I thought plastic is bad ? And is a emergency? Why did these people not choke ?

 

Other show on TV a person cannot go poo and the doctor was saying drink lots of water!! How does water help?

 

 

One last question a friend I know was saying if food goes down the wrong way you can get fluid on the lugs, pneumonia or bronchitis.If so why did those other people not ger fluid ,pneumonia or bronchitis?

[Mr Skeptic]

Our airway toggles between breathing and swallowing. Can't do both at once, and if food gets stuck while swallowing, you can't breathe. Once you swallow something it goes to your stomach, and no longer can make you choke, no matter its size. Then the question is whether it comes out the other end or not.

 

Plastic is "bad" but not poisonous, or at least not particularly poisonous. Mostly it's just indigestible, much like cellulose. A big piece might get stuck along the way though, then it would be a problem.

[nec209]

Our airway toggles between breathing and swallowing. Can't do both at once, and if food gets stuck while swallowing, you can't breathe.

 

If the airway is 2 inches wide and the food is 2 inches or more you can choke.I know some times drinking water or some food if it goes down the wrong way I want to vomit and start to choke.Most of the time this will put it on the right track.If it does not and you are choking and cannot beath you have to call 911 ASAP.

 

Normaly food should not go down the airway, because if it is big it can block the airway and you cannot beath.

 

Once you swallow something it goes to your stomach, and no longer can make you choke, no matter its size. Then the question is whether it comes out the other end or not.

 

 

 

Plastic is "bad" but not poisonous, or at least not particularly poisonous. Mostly it's just indigestible, much like cellulose. A big piece might get stuck along the way though, then it would be a problem.

 

 

 

 

Well you would think vegetables would be worse than plastic in terms of getting stuck has your body cannot digest it and you know how some vegetables can be stringy or crumped up.But really the stomach acid should turn the plastic into almost nothing.