Normally, the tongue pushes foods and liquids down the throat. The foods and liquids then pass into the esophagus, which is the tube that helps push the food down to the stomach.
To keep foods or liquids moving to the stomach, the esophagus muscles tighten and relax in a wave-like motion. However, acute anxiety can cause esophageal dysmotility.
With esophageal dysmotility, foods and liquids do not easily pass down the esophagus, which causes problems swallowing.
Furthermore, this dysmotility may lead to esophageal spasm, a well-described cause of non-cardiac chest pain