# Chew your food **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353 "2017-12-13T02:39:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/1 "2017-12-13T02:39:25Z")
So, eating a pulled pork sandwich with fried potatoes for supper last night. I occasionally have problems where food seems ‘stuck’, but a solid drink of water clears it. Last night, it didn’t seem to be working, so I drank some more water. Tight feeling in my throat, spasms, dash to the toilet, puke up what appears to be water. Hmm, I’m slow, things still seem stuck, let’s try more water - same result. OK, let’s just let things settle for a bit. A little later, I throw up what appears to be mostly saliva (no bad taste for any of the episodes). I’m worried, wife is worried - off to urgent care. Urgent care says “yeah, go the ER”. Eventually, the gastroenterologist gets there, puts me into twilight sleep and pulls some amount of well stuck food. I apparently have a narrowing of the esophagus, so Thursday I get to go in for a full anesthesia endo scope to see what is going on. In the meantime, soft food only, well chewed (well as much as one can chew yogurt, oatmeal and scrambled eggs). I guess I need to investigate smoothies also to try and get some fruits and vegetables. Getting old kind of sucks. Oh, and they didn’t like the EKG readings, so I also get to go see a cardiologist later in the month. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/2 "2017-12-13T04:23:37Z")
Wow! Sorry to hear it. Hope all goes well. Let us know. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/3 "2017-12-13T12:45:12Z")
A guy I know had a similar problem and had his esophagus dilated. The cool part was the tool they used to gradually dilate his esophagus was called a [**bougie**](https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/aha_esophageal_dilation_with_bougies/), and the act of using the bougie was \*bougienage \*. He had several appointments for bougienage, and when he used the term he extended his pinkie and twirled his mustache. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/4 "2017-12-13T14:09:08Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A guy I know had a similar problem and had his esophagus dilated. > > The cool part was the tool they used to gradually dilate his esophagus was called a [**bougie**](https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/aha_esophageal_dilation_with_bougies/), and the act of using the bougie was \*bougienage \*. He had several appointments for bougienage, and when he used the term he extended his pinkie and twirled his mustache. Okay, now I want that procedure, just for the mustache-twirling… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/5 "2017-12-13T14:51:53Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A guy I know had a similar problem and had his esophagus dilated. > > The cool part was the tool they used to gradually dilate his esophagus was called a [**bougie**](https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/library/adult_health/aha_esophageal_dilation_with_bougies/), and the act of using the bougie was \*bougienage \*. He had several appointments for bougienage, and when he used the term he extended his pinkie and twirled his mustache. Huh. _Bougie_ is French for ‘candle’, which is apparently where the name of the tool comes from. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/6 "2017-12-16T15:27:55Z")
OP, any news? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/7 "2017-12-16T17:40:06Z")
Yeah, had the procedure on Thursday after. Apparently I had a Schatzki ring (narrowing of the esophagus), which they expanded. Apparently something that will recur anywhere from 1 to 4 years. Hopefully I’ll notice prior to need another visit to the ER\> Terrible heartburn yesterday, but things seem to be reverting to normal, which means minor heartburn. I didn’t really know what heartburn felt like previously, but now I realize that I’ve had it off and on for a while now. Thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/8 "2017-12-16T18:36:23Z")
Just curious, but how old is the OP? At what point am I going to start to worry about this sort of thing? ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/9 "2017-12-16T18:39:11Z")
Glad to hear you are feeling somewhat better, I hope you continue to improve. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/10 "2017-12-17T14:53:04Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just curious, but how old is the OP? At what point am I going to start to worry about this sort of thing? approaching 60 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/11 "2017-12-17T17:23:40Z")
I’m glad you’re improving (and glad to hear there’s a procedure to treat this)! ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/12 "2017-12-17T17:56:16Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > approaching 60 My husband had this in his early 40s. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/13 "2017-12-18T07:52:04Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > My husband had this in his early 40s. Mine started at 29 (Am now 70). Had my Schatzki ring expanded at one point along the way. However, the most recent thinking is that for me it is [eosinophilic esophagitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophilic_esophagitis)—sort of like “asthma of the esophagus.” One ENT had me on a Flovent inhaler, except I wasn’t to inhale, but pump away and swallow. Seemed to work. Haven’t used that for some 8 years now, though. I manage to get by with being careful, and as stated in the title of this thread, chew my food. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chew-your-food/804353/14 "2017-12-18T22:00:34Z")
> [@UncaStuart](#): > > Mine started at 29 (Am now 70). Had my Schatzki ring expanded at one point along the way. However, the most recent thinking is that for me it is [eosinophilic esophagitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophilic_esophagitis)—sort of like “asthma of the esophagus.” One ENT had me on a Flovent inhaler, except I wasn’t to inhale, but pump away and swallow. Seemed to work. Haven’t used that for some 8 years now, though. I manage to get by with being careful, and as stated in the title of this thread, chew my food. I’m in similar boat. Started when I was even younger–diagnosed mid-20’s and I have my esophagus “stretched” about once a year.