Chest pain when eating rice.

Yep, me too. It passed over about 20 minutes.

I too have the same symptoms but I also find that bread can cause similar symptoms @ times. I have one solution, drinking carbonated drinks like coke. It usually brings relief immediately. My problem is that I order tea when I'm out & if I don't get relief from the pressure I'm up searching for a waiter to bring me a coke. Once I take a few swallows of coke I need to burp & then I find relief.

I just suffered this about an hour ago. I thought I was going to die. I had this experience in February and then a few times afterwards, but today's experience was worse. I took about 3 swallows of rice from a fork and then I couldn't swallow, since it got stuck in my esophagus. I swallowed water and it got worse. I tried to cough out the rice, but only the water shot out. I feared I was choking to death so I tried to run outside so someone can give me the Heimlich Manuever. Then I felt it subside. I literally saw my life fade. I panicked and yelled, "No! This is NOT the way I'm going to go!" I I was completely out of breath for a minute. Any longer, I would've passed out and God knows what afterwards.

Raise both arms over your head next time. Works for me.

Cycloptichorn

Thank you so much, Cycloptichorn. I didn't expect a response so soon. I will heed your advice if this happens again. I appreciate this.

No problem. I believe that raising your arms over your head changes the shape of your esophagus a bit and helps the blockage pass. I've had the same increased pain when I tried to drink some water to pass it.

It's important to stay calm - even if it was lodged there, it wouldn't kill you. Sounds like you sorta panicked - I've panicked before too.

If it keeps up and happens too often you really gotta see a doctor about it. It's a treatable problem. Good luck!

Cycloptichorn

This is not allergy, eat smooth rice and chew, I didn't hear this problem from any one. if not wok then take suggestion from doctor.

It's not an allergy and it's not anxiety. As has already been pointed out in this thread, it's either a hiatal hernia or acid reflux (or both). I've had the same problem -- once it even sent me to the hospital. I've been taking acid blockers for years, and that solved the problem completely.

Joe, I hope you're aware of the possible consequences of long-term use of acid blockers (i.e., proto-pump inhibitors) for bone density and magnesium levels and rebound "addiction". I've just stopped taking omeprazole after a year or more--switched to zantac 150, but only when I've got gerd symptoms. I havn't reported this yet to my G.I. physician.

I am taking them under a doctor's supervision. Thanks for your concern.

Simple and obvious solution - stop eating rice.

I would still make sure--if the symptoms continue--that my esphagous is O.K. (i.e., no esophagitis). I guess a gastrointesintal physician would examine if for you "endoscopically."

Normally it does not happens, But if you continuously facing same problem you must abide eating rice and consult the doctor.

So awesome to find this board specifically talking about rice and pain. Ugh. It's happened to me twice. The first time didn't last but about 2 min. Extremely uncomfortable and it scared me. The second time lasted about 15 min and was much worse. Extreme pain in my chest, the middle of my back and of course the tight feeling of your esophagus working to push the food down. I could literally feel the waves of contractions each tightening causing pain. I too, drank liquid which made it worse. I thought I was going to have to go to the E.R. because it just wouldn't stop and I had no control over my saliva and the need to swallow. I couldn't stop swallowing. I had no control over that.
I was recently diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and I've put off having a C.T. scan. I believe this is connected as Pat Reed suggested. I'm making an appt with an ENT or Endo asap. Oh, each episode was when I took my first bite of rice from Panda Express. I haven't had it with any other rice but I believe it's because I'm extremely careful now and chew slowly while swallowing small small bites at a time.

Thanks to all of you for the great information. I had another rice problem today at the mall and I had to leave. I now know that I am not the only one with this problem. I am going to be much more careful when eating rice and I will drink more before and during the meal. And, I am just going to slow down, too. Thanks so much.

Hi
I am hearing this first time. You may ate some different kind of grains. There is no problem with the eating of rice.

Thanks.

I have the pain and difficulty swallowing when eating dry rice also. But, I do experience it on occasion when eating certain other foods as well, such as dry chicken breast and raw carrots. Has anyone else experienced the pain with chicken or carrots?

I remember this happening all the way back to junior high and high school... usually with a grain/starch, most often rice, pasta or bread. Sometimes taking a drink of something carbonated (especially Coke) works to flush it down into my stomach if I have it on hand, other times I have to get to a sink, toilet, or outside because I have to bring it back up.

An hour or two ago was my worst episode of it yet, it happened twice within twenty minutes of each other... usually it only happens once, and I can continue on and finish eating whatever it is. This was violent and the most painful yet.

I've found it sometimes happens when I'm really hungry and I eat too quickly (though the dehydration angle may have something to do with it), but more recently it seems to happen when I eat reheated rice. Usually anything but minute rice will do it, especially if it's reheated. Tonight it was more moist, I used butter to reheat it in the rice cooker, and it came out good, tasted fine, and I even chewed it slowly after the first incident, but when it happened again, I had to throw out the rest of the rice. I feel kind of sad about that; I hate wasting food.

Anyway, occasionally when it happens to a lesser degree, sometimes I just have to straighten up or, as I said, take a drink of pop, and I too can feel it pass. If I remember next time, I'll try raising my hands over my head.

My wife has had problems with food getting stuck for years. I've watched her suffer through it and usually finally excusing herself from the table to vomit.
Well, tonight it happened to me! Just like has been described by others: first couple of bites of rice, slight pain and tightening, drank some water, immediately got much worse, hiccups, uncontrollable swallowing, panic, incapacitating! Finally barfed into the sink (nothing but Basmati rice) and immediately felt better. Actually went back and finished the rice by chewing it very thoroughly with no problem.
I came to this site by searching for "Rice triggering food stuck". So glad to know that my wife and I not alone. Thank you for the chewing and arms over the head tricks...and no water!!

I too have this same issue with the rice. I have to put an ice pack on my chest to even catch my breath because i can't even breathe or even take a drink to help it pass. More often than not i throw it up and I am fine. It doesn't happen all the time when i eat rice but often enough. I think it is an allergic reaction because the body rejects it immediately.Plus rice contains arsenic and your body knows best if it rejects something Do Not Eat It!!