This problem is not common, but it is quite unpleasant. It often does not pose any threat to life, the drug itself can dissolve in the next half hour. However, do not neglect the sensation of a “coma in the throat”, because this may be a sign of the appearance of a disease. Many people are wondering why it happened that a pill stuck in the throat?
Main reasons
First of all, you need to understand whether the tablets are stuck in the trachea, since personal feelings are subjective enough and there are many causes of discomfort in the neck and chest. For example:
- Dysphagia (deviations when swallowing). This pathology can indicate the appearance of many ailments: the gastroesophageal reflex (discharge of gastric contents into the esophagus), damage to the esophagus or inflammation of the connective tissue. Also, the cause may be a stroke and operations in certain sections of the gastrointestinal tract. A person feels as if a large pill were stuck in his throat.
- Pathological abnormalities of organs located near the esophagus. For example, an enlargement of the thyroid gland, lymph nodes or tumors can squeeze the digestive tract, which creates unpleasant sensations. In addition, this harassment causes a return spasm, which increases the risk of problems when taking the pills.
- Mental problems. In the event that problems have already arisen with the use of food or medications, a spasm of the tissue of the musculature of the esophagus is possible, which increases the likelihood of complications in similar situations.
If there is a feeling that a pill is stuck in the throat, it is important to consult a doctor in time. Self-medication is life threatening. Damage to the tissues of the esophagus with hard food also often provokes a spasm of the muscular tissue of the organ. A spasm in the throat may appear in the case of:
- Deformations of the esophageal wall.
- Pathology of tissues over the mucous membrane.
- Vegeto- vascular dystonia.
- Severe stress or depression.
It is also quite possible that the victim took the pill “on the go” without washing it with enough water.
Doctor's opinion
It should be noted that a pill stuck in the throat is a rather rare case. Discomfort and pain in the neck or chest can be triggered by other factors that cause the sensation of a “lump in the throat”.
The structure of the esophagus
If a person is still sure that a pill is stuck in the throat, then the doctor should first tell him about the structure of the esophagus, in which they get stuck. The esophagus is a flexible tube with strong walls. On it, food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. The length of the tube is 10-25 cm, depending on the age of the person. The width of the esophagus has three constrictions: the upper part, at the level of the neck (exactly around 6-7 vertebrae), the chest part and the abdominal part. In a healthy adult, the lumen in the region of the upper constriction is more than 17 cm in width, in the chest region - more than 23 cm. In the abdominal cavity - also more than 17 cm. But in a first-grader, the average width of the esophagus fluctuates around 7-12 cm.
Suspected Endocrine Disease
As you can see, with such a size, taking a pill with a diameter of one centimeter should not provoke a jam in the narrowing of the esophagus of a healthy person. When you use the pill, it resolves in the next half hour. And the feeling of a stuck pill in the throat is similar to the experience of people who have endocrine diseases. In such a case, this may result in perspiration, itching, coughing, sore throat and vomiting. And even after the victim has vomited, a foreign body sensation may remain, but it is caused by the mucous membrane of the esophagus, irritated by stomach acid.
Basically, medications get stuck at the cervical narrowing of the esophagus, but the medication can also get stuck in the trachea, which causes a different feeling of discomfort in the chest area. Sometimes a person feels as if a pill is stuck in the throat and does not go away in any way. In such a situation, death by suffocation is possible.
Jam Actions
To start, drink a lot of warm water. This will contribute to the reduction of the tablet in size and its passage through the esophagus. It is also recommended that you drink some thick drink, such as yogurt.
Eating solid food can help, but you should not take it too rashly, as it itself can cause future discomfort.
Make a few neat changes in the position of the neck, simultaneously swallowing water. Trying various bends of the neck, you can find a position in which a stuck tablet can continue its path through the esophagus, however, for reliability, you should constantly drink it with water. You should know that often the feeling of a stuck pill in the throat indicates that a pathology is present in the body.
If the above actions do not help, then, most likely, the esophagus was injured with drugs or solid food. In this case, damage to the mucous membrane leads to a feeling of discomfort and a false sensation of stuck tablets or food. Then gargling with a decoction of chamomile or soda solution can help.
What to do if a child chokes
First you need to consciously think about whether the pill can get stuck in the throat? Given the size of the pill and the width of the trachea, this is almost impossible. When helping a child, there are some features that need to be considered, since the baby is much more impressionable than an adult. It is very important to calm him and not to make sudden movements that can complicate the situation.
Ultimately, it is recommended that you consult a doctor and undergo a thorough medical examination. The specialist may suggest a reason, but in order to obtain reliable information, the doctor will direct the patient to objective research: an x-ray or endoscopic examination.
I want to note that a drug that lingers in the throat does not provoke the appearance of coughing fits and respiratory problems. It does not pose a threat to life, so be sure to consult a specialist with these symptoms.
Actions when blocking the pill of the respiratory tract
Circumstances may arise so that the drug suddenly enters the respiratory tract. In this case, the situation is very serious: each breath pushes the tablet deeper and deeper. Then it is necessary to lean forward and exhale sharply. Many people wonder why pills get stuck in the throat? But not everyone thinks about whether such a phenomenon is possible at all, given the structure of the trachea and the size of the pills.
If there is a person nearby, then you need to ask him to call an ambulance and knock on the victim with an open palm between the shoulder blades. If a choked person coughs, then this indicates a partial solution to the problem. But if this does not help, then you can use the dangerous method. It is necessary to stand behind the injured person, clasp his hands at the base of the chest and squeeze sharply. In this situation, the air remaining in the lungs quickly leaves the lungs and clears the airways from foreign bodies, but there is also a downside to this technique. It can provoke loss of consciousness and even cardiac arrest, so that in the course of the development of the event, resuscitation of the victim is possible. In this case, a way out will be artificial respiration and direct heart massage. Be sure to undergo an examination with a doctor if the tablets get stuck in the throat, the cause of this phenomenon may be the presence of pathology.
If baby choked
Unfortunately, the situation is exacerbated by the presence of a drug stuck in the trachea. If a person who choked on a pill cannot take a breath and the upper lip turns blue, this indicates that oxygen starvation has occurred. In such cases, you need to act as quickly as possible. If a similar situation happened with the child, then doctors recommend taking the baby by the legs upside down and shaking lightly. Performing all actions is important especially carefully. Excessive force on the part of the rescuer can do much harm.
What can not be done when blocking the airways
Be sure to try to pull out the foreign body with your hands, since the count goes on for minutes, and such actions can save a life. If a person choked, then you can’t:
- to panic;
- get a pill with various items;
- try to feed the victim with something;
- use traditional methods of treatment.
The road is every minute and even second. If the pill capsule is stuck in the throat, then the unpleasant feeling will pass after 15-35 minutes. It is important to provide first aid in a timely manner and call a doctor if a person chokes, because another object could get into his mouth. Due to a lack of oxygen, a person may lose consciousness, this is a very bad sign. If the victim does not have enough oxygen, the situation may worsen due to panic. It is important to try to keep calm as much as possible. You should straighten your back and try to inhale. It is necessary to go out into the fresh air.
Conclusion
If you constantly have a feeling that the tablet has not passed through the trachea, then you should seek help from a specialist. This is most likely a dubious feeling that is caused by the presence of another serious illness. Given the physiological characteristics of any person, we can conclude that too small a pill can not get stuck in the throat. In some cases, this feeling may arise for the reason that a person washed the medicine with too little water. It is important to know if a pill is stuck in the throat; it will dissolve after 30 minutes.