A repeated feeling of hard food sticking in the throat or chest should not simply be dismissed as eating too quickly. The health information describes several possible causes, including reflux, inflammation and esophageal narrowing, with tumors also among the conditions to consider. Medical evaluation is needed if difficulty progresses from solid foods to liquids, or if pain and weight loss accompany it. Chewing slowly and avoiding lying down immediately after meals may help, but people should not force stuck food down or use lifestyle changes as a substitute for investigating the cause.