A barium swallow is a type of X-ray test that helps your doctor see the back of your mouth and throat (pharynx), and the tube that extends from the back of the tongue down to the stomach (esophagus).

If you inhale something instead of swallowing it or if stomach contents back up and enter your airway, you experience aspiration. Some people may experience complications, including infections.

A person with a tracheostomy has a higher risk than usual of aspiration, which means they may take unwanted substances into their airways. A tracheostomy is a procedure in which a surgeon makes an ...