Final answer:
When a piece of food gets lodged directly below the larynx, it is stuck in the trachea. The body tries to expel it by coughing, as part of a reflex to prevent food from entering the respiratory system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Where Food Gets Lodged Below the Larynx
If a piece of food gets lodged directly below the larynx, it is stuck in the trachea. Normally, during swallowing, the soft palate and uvula rise to close off the nasopharynx, while the larynx is pulled upward and the epiglottis folds down to cover the glottis, directing food away from the trachea and towards the esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the pharynx with the stomach, and is the correct path for swallowed food. However, if the food goes down the wrong way, like into the trachea, the body's natural response is to cough, which helps to expel the food out of the trachea and back into the pharynx.
The larynx plays a key role in protecting the trachea from aspirated food. When swallowing occurs, the backward motion of the tongue presses the epiglottis closed over the larynx entrance to prevent swallowed material from entering the larynx and moving into the respiratory tract. If swallowed material does make its way into the larynx, a strong cough reflex is stimulated to expel the material.