I suffered a complete aortic dissection in 2015. Repaired by emergency open heart surgery at UCSD La Jolla. I can feel my aorta sometimes in my throat. Sometimes because of the size of the remaining aneurysm in the form of a false lumen, I will get food stuck in my throat if it's hard to digest like dry chicken or dense protein. When that happens, I can feel my aorta, pressing against my esophagus and tightening it. I've seen this in CT scans from the University of Minnesota where I go annually for my scans with contrast. They do super high definition 8K scans and they run that scan from the middle of my teeth all the way down to my knees. I have downloaded a piece of software that allows me to look at the scans on my computer at home after I request the CD of the scan which I get for free from the university after the scan. (The scan cost about 2500 bucks but the data CD is free to me.) I can very clearly see where my aorta is pressed up against my esophagus.

Your aorta is the massive artery that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body. In your chest, it runs right behind your esophagus and right in front of your spine. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach, and it normally has just enough space to do its job. Now, if your aorta starts to balloon out (aka an aneurysm), it has nowhere to expand except into the space around it—which means it can push directly against your esophagus. The problem? Your spine is right behind the esophagus, so instead of the esophagus just shifting out of the way, it gets pinched between the aneurysm and the spine. And since the esophagus is basically a soft collapsible tube, it does not handle pressure well.

This is why some of us with thoracic aneurysms start having trouble swallowing. At first, it’s usually with solids—like bread, meat, or pasta. You might feel like food is getting stuck in your chest, or you have to drink a ton of liquid to wash things down. If it gets worse, even liquids can be a struggle. Some people describe it as a squeezing or choking sensation in the middle of their chest when they eat. What makes it even trickier is that the thoracic area is already super crowded—your heart, lungs, trachea, and aorta are all packed in there with almost no extra room. So when the aorta starts pushing outward, it creates a real traffic jam.

If you’re having this issue, a CT scan or MRI can usually confirm if the aneurysm is the culprit. Depending on the size and risk level, doctors might just monitor it closely, or they might recommend surgery or a stent to take the pressure off. Bottom line: If you’re struggling with swallowing and you have an aortic aneurysm, this is a real thing. It’s not in your head. Talk to your doctor, and don’t be afraid to push for imaging if you feel something isn’t right. Peace.