Excessive hoicking and coughing in throat.?

Question

My father is in his 70's and is often hoicking, especially during and just after meals. He's going to the hospital on Monday to have an internal examination. What could this be?

Answer 1

It might be that he is having trouble swallowing properly.  This commonly happens in older people.  If he is having trouble swallowing correctly, some foods and liquids may be passing into his trachea instead of his esophagus.  Or, food may be correctly passing into his esophagus, but the peristaltic movements may no longer working.  A bolus (Lump of chewed food) may accumulate in his esophagus and irritate the surrounding tissues (including the trachea, because the esophagus runs along the back of the trachea) causing him to cough.

Some types of foods induce mucus production in your mouth and in the GI tract, and it could just be accumulating after a meal.  (Sometimes this happens to me if the meal is especially salty or bitter).

Good luck!

Answer 2

see doctor asap.