# Swallowing your words

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 25, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080 "2003-11-25T01:17:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080/1 "2003-11-25T01:17:48Z")

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What exactly happens when you “swallow your words.” By this I mean you are talking and suddenly you choke. It is usually worse than choking on food. What causes it and what exactly is happening

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**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080/2 "2003-11-25T01:31:49Z")

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To my way of thinking,“Swallowing your words” means you retract a statement you have made. You have been shown that your statement is shameful, false, hateful, hurtful, etc. and you put the words “back where they came from.” Are you referring to an actual, physical event where your speech is halted due to choking. Could there be some connection between the two?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080/3 "2003-11-25T02:01:55Z")

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Sounds like you’re describing esophageal spasm. The esophagus, the muscular tube going from the back of the throat to the stomach, can (for reasons of its own) go into spasms along various segments. Hurts like a bitch too. It happens more often if the esophagus is subject to acid reflux, or if it’s recently been irritated by food/drink which has scratched/burned/chilled it. Or maybe its a sign from God that someone’s talking too much?

Of course, maybe you mean laryngospasm, which can be much more serious; even deadly.

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080/4 "2003-11-25T17:21:16Z")

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What I mean is an actual choke. It feels like you are choking on food but you don’t have food.

Is it your saliva you are choking on?

Or is it the spasm. It feels to me like you are choking on food.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowing-your-words/215080/5 "2003-11-26T20:46:38Z")

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I’d wager esophageal spasm. But it could still be laryngospasm. Check with your doctor.