With foreign bodies stuck in the throat, the hospital is treated quite often. And in most cases, the patients are children. But drugs that cannot pass through the esophagus and cause breathing problems are an extremely rare occurrence. But such an incident is possible. Today we’ll talk about what to do if the pill is stuck in the throat.
What is the esophagus
To understand how the tablet will reach the stomach, you need to imagine the structure of the esophagus. This is an elastic tube with dense walls, through which food enters from the pharynx into the stomach. In an adult, its length is about 25 cm. Anatomically, it is divided into three parts. The upper, cervical part is at the level of 6-7 vertebra. Usually this is where most of the stuck items are located. The lumen of the esophagus here is about 17 mm. To the thoracic region, it expands to 23 mm, and to the lower part it again narrows to 17 mm.
Given the anatomical features
Typically, drug manufacturers are well aware of how the esophagus works. Therefore, tablets that are intended to be taken as a whole do not exceed 1 cm in diameter. Such dimensions allow you to use the drug without thinking about what to do if the pill is stuck in the throat.
In order for this rule to work 100%, you must strictly follow the instructions for use. That is, it is important to follow the recommendations of a specialist. But the doctors themselves say that there are significant differences in whether you choked on food or drugs. Any tablet intended for oral administration resolves within a maximum of 30 minutes. Therefore, the only thing you need if you do not know what to do if the pill is stuck in the throat is to drink more water.
Causes of Pill Delay
Everything that was said above is true for an adult. Pills are not given to babies whole. Adopted dosage forms, such as powders or suspensions, are usually used. If there is a need to give a tablet, then it is pre-crushed and given to the baby in the form of an aqueous solution.
It should also be noted that all this is true for a healthy person. There are a number of diseases that significantly complicate the passage of the drug through the esophagus. In this case, the question of what to do if the pill is stuck in the throat will be very relevant.
You need to know
This can be especially important if the drug is intended for an elderly person. By this age, a large number of health problems are accumulating that can indirectly affect the ability to swallow a pill. The following conditions must be taken into account:
- Impaired swallowing function. This is not an independent ailment, but usually a consequence of various pathologies transferred in the past. This includes strokes, operations on the digestive tract, reflux, systemic pathologies of connective tissue. In this case, you need to think in advance about how to drink the tablets. If there is a systematic problem with food intake, even if liquid, then it is necessary to grind the tablet first and drink it with water.
- Muscle spasm of the esophagus. It can occur in response to irritation caused by damage to roughage.
- The upper part of the digestive tract may be a compressed pathologically altered organ. For example, it can be an enlargement of the thyroid gland or various tumors. A drunk tablet causes a reflex spasm. Therefore, you need to discuss in advance with your doctor how to drink pills.
- Esophageal diverticulums and polyps.
Mental problems
This is another reason why a person regularly chokes on drugs. If a jam has occurred in the past, then memory of this may affect the use of the drug in the future. Fear gives rise to a spasm of the larynx, and over and over again when you swallow the tablets get stuck in the throat. Break the circle can only work with a therapist.
It provokes stuck tablets and non-compliance with the rules for taking medications inside. If they are consumed on the go, they do not drink enough water, they take several tablets at once, that is, there is a big chance that the tablet will stick to the throat.
Jam Guidelines
Usually a person himself admits that he simply hurried up or once again did not take into account the characteristics of his body. It also happens that a pill in the throat does not pass due to the fact that the gelatin capsule is wet and stuck to the wall of the esophagus. What to do in this case? Most importantly, do not panic. If air access is maintained, then nothing bad happens. Therefore, we calm down and think how to help ourselves in the most effective way.
Your actions
The first step is to drink as much water as possible. It accelerates the dissolution of the drug and reduces the size of the tablet. As a result, the passage through the upper gastrointestinal tract is improved. The tablets in the shell are difficult to dissolve. This is done specifically so that the active substances work exactly where necessary. But it is the shell that facilitates their swallowing, so problems with them arise least often. In parallel with the increase in the amount of water consumed, you can help yourself in the following way:
- Make circular movements with your neck. Sometimes a change in its position along with a bend in the spine helps in promoting the pill. In this case, be sure to swallow saliva or water.
- Sometimes solid foods work better. If you do not feel suffocation, but something is clearly in the larynx, then a crust of bread will allow you to push a stuck tablet or capsule.
- Try a thick yogurt.
It must be borne in mind that sometimes swallowing large tablets can injure the esophagus. In this case, the drug has long entered the stomach, but the person continues to feel its presence in the esophagus. A local mucosal condition leads to discomfort and a deceptive impression that the tablet is “across the throat”.
When to see a doctor
The most obvious symptom, by which the need for medical intervention is determined, is the patient's normal breathing. If there is no cough, vomiting, if the patient breathes without effort, then nothing threatens his life. But usually a stuck tablet does not cause airway obstruction. But it is possible that the cause of this phenomenon will be an allergic reaction to the drug.
Most often, a drunk pill causes temporary discomfort. But if it persists for a long time, then it is necessary to see a doctor. The presence of foreign bodies and pathological changes can be suspected during examination of the patient. The reliability of the diagnosis is determined by x-ray examination.
Formidable symptoms
Airway obstruction is a violation of their free patency. That is, if you do not take measures, then the body will suffer from a lack of oxygen. Most often, such a disorder develops when trying to give a large pill to a child. Patients cannot talk, clutch their throats, their lips turn blue.
Help should be provided immediately. If the victim is conscious, you need to stand behind him and grab his arms around his body. Squeeze your hands sharply upward at a level just above the navel. You need to compress 4-5 times, after which weaken the grip. Repeat until the patient begins to breathe. If the foreign body is not removed and the patient is not breathing, do artificial respiration before the ambulance arrives.
The better to drink pills
We have already mentioned above that compliance with the doctor’s recommendations helps to minimize the likelihood of such a development of events. And among others, the advice most often is to drink a pill with water. But the hand reaches for soda, tea, juice or other liquids. Sometimes they even try to drink energy or beer, which is simply unacceptable. Let's see what experts say about this:
- Iced tea and coffee seem like a convenient option. But they contain caffeine. This means that they cannot be combined with papaverine (No-shpa), aminophylline, codeine and glycoside. Some teas can counteract the effects of birth control pills.
- Can I drink pills with milk? This question is often asked by doctors. In most cases, this is not contraindicated. Some remedies, by contrast, have such a recommendation. Most often these are pills for the treatment of tuberculosis and potassium preparations. But do not flatter yourself. It is necessary to consult a doctor whether it is possible to drink tablets with milk. In each case, the answer may be different.
- Can I drink pills with juice? This is usually not prohibited, but the ban does not apply to orange and grapefruit juices.
Instead of a conclusion
Taking medications requires care and adherence to the recommendations of a doctor. Be sure to prepare enough water. This will allow you to drink the pill on time and prevent negative consequences. They include the feeling of bitterness in the mouth, as it began to dissolve before it even entered the esophagus.
What to do if the tablet is stuck? Try to push it in any way possible. If you do not feel suffocation, you have time to drink water and take food, but the sensation of a foreign object is still preserved, then most likely the tablet just slightly scratched the lining of the esophagus. This is what causes an unpleasant sensation.