My friend only starts to wheeze during or after eating.Does this sound like asthma?

Hi Ms. Mays,

Wheezing during or after eating may be caused by asthma or another disorder. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) may aggravate asthma and cause cough and wheezing. Wheezing associated with eating could be from food allergy. Anaphylaxis, a potentially life threatening allergic reaction, may be associated with severe bronchospasm which causes wheezing (food or drugs are the most common trigger). 

 Furthermore, what may seem to be a wheeze (which is an abnormal lung sound) is sometimes a high pitched sound coming from the upper airway (throat or nasal passage). Air whistling through a partially blocked nasal passage may sound like a wheeze. Since air must go through the nasal passage while eating (since the mouth has food in it) a wheezing type of sound may heard when there is nasal or sinus congestion.

I have not mentioned all the possible causes of wheezing in this setting. A doctor should take a full history and examine your friend.

Some test may be ordered (chest x-ray, barium swallow, pulmonary function test).

Good Luck,