Esophageal dysphagia refers to the sensation of food sticking or getting hung up in the base of your throat or in your chest after you’ve started to swallow. Signs and symptoms associated with dysphagia may include: having pain wile swallowing, being unable to swallow, having the sensation of food getting stuck in your throat, drooling, being hoarse, bringing food back up, having frequent heartburn, having food or stomach acid back up into your throat, unexpectedly losing weight, and coughing or gagging when swallowing.

Some of the causes of esophageal dysphagia include: achalasia, diffuse spasm, esophageal stricture, esophageal tumors, foreign bodies, esophageal ring, GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis, scleroderma, radiation therapy. Difficulty swallowing can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and choking.

Dysphagia, Mayo Clinic (Feb. 3, 2018), https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dysphagia/symptoms-causes/syc-20372028