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Zenker's diverticulum
A small pouch at the top of the food pipe that can catch food.
Awaiting clinical review. This page is written from general, widely accepted background on how eating and swallowing work. It has not yet been signed off by a named clinician, and it is not a substitute for asking one.
What it is
Zenker's diverticulum is a pouch that forms at the top of the food pipe. It sits just behind the throat.
It is uncommon, and most often found in older adults.
What you might notice
- Food that feels caught in the throat.
- Undigested food coming back up, sometimes hours later.
- Coughing, or a gurgling sound in the neck.
- Bad breath.
What can help
- See a doctor. An ENT or GI doctor can check for it with an X-ray swallow test.
- Tell them if food comes back up, and when.
- There are several treatment options. Ask what each involves, and weigh them together.
How it is found and treated
It is often seen on an X-ray swallow test, where you swallow a drink that shows up on X-ray.
A small pouch with few symptoms may just be watched. Others can be treated with surgery through the mouth or the neck.
- Each approach has a different recovery time and different risks.
- Ask what each involves, and how it fits what matters to you.
Questions to ask your care team
- Could a pouch explain what I notice?
- What test would show it?
- What are my options, and what does each involve?
- What should I watch for in the meantime?
When to get help
Get checked soon if you notice any of these. A doctor or SLP can look at what is going on.
You know your own body best. Bring what you notice to your care team, and decide together.
- Coughing or choking when you eat or drink.
- Food or pills that feel stuck.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Pneumonia or chest infections, especially if they come back.
When this is worth asking about
- You cannot breathe, speak or cough. Call 911.
- Food comes back up often.
- Coughing at night, or pneumonia.
- You are losing weight without trying.