Dysphagia is difficultly with swallowing food or liquids. Dysphagia can either be difficulty getting the food/liquids into the esophagus (called oropharyngeal dysphagia), or difficulty getting the food through the esophagus (esophageal dysphagia). It sounds like you might suffer from oropharyngeal dysphagia. There are also different types based on difficult with swallowing liquids vs food. Liquid dysphagia is more concerning for motility disorder, whereas dysphagia is solids if more likely a mechanical obstruction. Regurgitation, aspiration, or drooling immediately after swallowing may represent oropharyngeal dysphagia. Dysphagia is not associated with posture. The bone you are feeling is the cricoid bone which assists with swallowing. This could be a hereditary and/or congenital malformations. However, smoking, alcohol, obesity, acid reflux, COPD, multiple different medications, neurologic disease, any type of chest or esophageal mass, and iron deficiency can all cause dysphagia. Progressively worsening dysphagia is usually caused by cancer or a peptic stricture. Unfortunately, dysphagia is a very common symptom with multiple causes. The most concerning would be cancer/tumors, pharyngeal abscess, or other types of infections. There are about 25 different neurologic diseases that can cause dysphagia. You can try to eat a liquid or soft diet, avoid alcohol and smoking, and take an anti-acid medication like tums, maalox, omesprazole, or pantoprazole. You should see a doctor if you have any of the following with the difficulty swallowing: heartburn, weight loss, hematemesis, coffee ground emesis, anemia, regurgitation of un-digested food particles, or respiratory symptoms.