Why do your eyes water when you choke?

[Backdrifter]

Just curious, as this happened the other day, choking on a toast crumb. Felt it lodged there, coughed, dislodged it, fine. Meanwhile, my eyes had gone red and filled up. Why does that happen?

[Mr.Ix]

I think its an automatic response of the body reacting to a foreign body. The body isn't totally sure where this foreign body is and basically "Flushes" the system to get it out as it perceives itself to be under attack. The eyes water in case it is in there. Your nose may also run or block up too.

[Sproutstick]

Applying the above principal; why then do you not cough when you have something in your eye?!?!  (or break wind when you have something stuck in either!?)

[Mr.Ix]

I am guessing now, but I would imagine that certain senses are linked. Smell and taste are linked . When you chop onions the "smell" causes your eyes to water and certainly in my case, your nose to run too. In your example of something in your eye not causing the cough refelx, I think that in addition to this general "Flushing" relex, each system has its own independant reactions too. Something in the eye will be dealt with by just the eyes mechanism because the body can specifically identify that that is where the invader is. The general reflex is for when the body can't identify specifically the problem so in the case of the toast crumb, it flushes all systems. I nearly choked of a peanut once. After chocking for a while, my Gag reflex also kicked in. I was in a right state after that. Oh, and I don't think breaking wind is the same kind of reflex. That is just the body expelling built up gas released in digestion.

[Sproutstick]

Hee hee!!  Can't blame me for wondering though - I'm sure there'll be many breaking wind today following yesterday's massive sprout consumption!