Swallowing a pill is an ordeal for some people. Sometimes there’s a fear that it’ll get stuck or create an unpleasant mouthfeel. Fortunately, there are numerous tricks to assist you to swallow the pill.
Many people have difficulty swallowing a tablet. In fact, it’s estimated that one in three people experience discomfort when swallowing pillseven in the event that they have no physical conditions that prevent them from doing so. For children, that is much more irritating, so we are going to list several methods of swallowing the pill.
The truth is that swallowing pills is usually an unpleasant experience. Many individuals are afraid of the gag reflex or reject the taste that the tablets leave within the mouth. For their part, most kids don’t assimilate the thought of swallowing something as a substitute of chewing.
Of course there are those that have anatomical or physiological difficulties when swallowing pills. This condition is known as dysphagia and causes trouble swallowing any solid or liquid. A dry mouth also makes it difficult to swallow a pill.
Why am I having trouble swallowing pills?
In most cases, the issue of swallowing a pill will not be within the body but within the mind. Almost anyone can swallow food with none problems, although the bites are much larger than a pill.
Sometimes, the necessity to take a pill causes anxiety. This is usually attributable to unpleasant experiences prior to now, especially in childhood. Choking or an unpleasant taste could have been the explanation for this difficulty.
If the swallowing problem only occurs when swallowing a pill, that is clearly a mental handicap. Similarly, in some people, severe reflux nausea is an obstacle to swallowing tablets. This is common in people who find themselves picky eaters or who choke easily.
On the opposite hand, if there’s all the time difficulty swallowing anything, it’s vital to seek the advice of a physician as a way to detect possible anomalies that generate them.
9 suggestions for swallowing pills
There are some tricks and suggestions that might help individuals who have difficulty swallowing a pill, even in the event that they don’t have anatomical abnormalities. The following recommendations are useful to realize this.
1. Take the tablet with loads of water
It is common to swallow a pill with a small amount of water. If someone is having difficulty with this, this is perhaps a superb idea increase the quantity of fluid you’re taking together with your tablet.
Enough take an enormous sip of water before inserting pill. Then put the pill in your mouth and check out to present it. If that does not work, take the pill out and pat it dry with a paper towel. Wait just a few minutes after which try again.
2. Try the pop-up bottle method
A gaggle of scientists from the University of Heidelberg in Germany published the report in Annals of Family Medicine. In it, they suggest that the “pop bottle” method might be very effective in swallowing a pill.
The method consists of the next elements:
- Fill a plastic bottle with water or soda mixed with water.
- Put the pill in your tongue.
- Close your mouth tightly across the mouth of the bottle.
- Take a sip of liquidkeeping your mouth involved with the bottle.
- In the previous motion use a sucking motion swallow the liquid together with the tablet.
- Air mustn’t enter the bottle.
According to the study, there was a 60% improvement in swallowing using this method.
You may also be desirous about this text: Treating Dysphagia
3. Try to tilt your body forward
This method was also proposed by researchers from the University of Heidelberg within the aforementioned report. This is completed as follows:
- Put the tablet in your tongue.
- Take a sip of water, but don’t swallow it.
- Bring your chin to your chest.
- In this position, swallow the tablet and water.
The study says that using this method improved swallowing by as much as 89% in comparison with the standard method.
4. Use soft food
This is a really practical approach to swallowing a pill, but you have to get your doctor’s approval before using it. Some tablets mustn’t be swallowed this manner. The technique is “hide” the pill in any soft food corresponding to fruit puree, pudding, etc. It should just be swallowed without chewing.
5. Use a straw
Simply place the tablet in your tongue after which drink water or other liquid through a straw. The sucking motion is a solution to distract from the act of swallowing. There are also special medical straws available on the market to assist people swallow the pill.
6. Help yourself to a gel
There are sweet gels that might be coated on the pill to make it easier to swallow. This improves the taste and makes it easier to push the tablet down the esophagus. Test on the topic showed that 54% of individuals found this system very useful for swallowing a pill.
7. Use the spray
There are sprays that act as a lubricant and make the pill much easier to pass to the throat and esophagus. The tablet glides on very easily and is nearly imperceptible. It is very indicated for individuals who have anatomical difficulty swallowing a pill or for individuals who have a vivid memory of choking once.
8. Try a special cup for swallowing pills
A swallowing cup is on the market from most pharmacies. They are specially shaped with a cup at the highest that extends to the back of the throat. However, these things will not be really helpful for individuals with dysphagia. In all other cases, they might be very useful.
9. Serve tablets with thick drinks
Finally, one of the vital effective methods of swallowing a lozenge is swallowing it use a glass of juice or other thick drink. Thus, the person will deal with the consistency of the drink, forgetting that he’s alleged to swallow the drugs. As with water, it is best to take an enormous gulp.
When does an individual learn to swallow a pill?
Children have essentially the most difficulty swallowing a pill because they feel the necessity to chew whatever they put of their mouth. Children can acquire the power to swallow a pill effortlessly between the ages of 4 and 6. However, it could take longer if you may have autism spectrum disorder.
A standard advice is to practice with young children until they will swallow pills. You can start small and increase in size as your baby reaches this skill. Avoid exercising when there’s a distraction, corresponding to a TV, toy, or other device.
How can I help someone swallow a pill?
To swallow a pill or learn to swallow a pill, crucial thing is to eliminate unfounded fears and get practice. One person might help one other person to this end, primarily by example. Show them methods to do it and prove to them that there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Other actions that could be useful include:
- Practice with little candies. It’s best to start out with very small candies and work your way as much as those sized lozenges.
- Do not press. Training sessions mustn’t exceed 10 minutes and must be as relaxed as possible. If pressure is applied, it might only increase anxiety.
- Try different techniques. Encourage the opposite person to try different pill swallowing techniques. In this manner, he’ll discover for himself which method is most convenient for him.
- Change the lean of your head. For many individuals, tilting your head barely backwards or forwards could make it easier to swallow the pill. As such, it’s a superb idea to try from as many angles as possible.
- Moisturize your mouth and throat. Drinking a glass of water or juice before swallowing the lozenge will moisten the mucous membrane, making it easier for the drugs to slip off.
Like this text? Here’s one other great article for you: All about sleeping pills or sleeping pills
When to see a physician
If an individual has great difficulty swallowing a pill, the very first thing to do is seek advice from a physician. The drug could also be in liquid form or in smaller sizes. You can also ask if it is feasible to crush a pill, as not all pills allow this.
If not one of the techniques work, it’s price having a physician test it out. Perhaps an anatomical problem, dysphagia or dry mouth. A follow-up visit is vital to ascertain that the whole lot is so as and make the vital decisions on this basis.
The tablets mustn’t be cut and swallowed
The fear of swallowing a pill will not be completely unfounded, but it will be important to not overestimate it. You can choke on a tablet and cause an unpleasant feeling, but it’s almost never an emergency – just an unpleasant experience.
It is very important to not make decisions to govern the pill on a whim without consulting your doctor. There are pills with special coatings or properties that don’t allow changes corresponding to splitting or crushing them, as they could lose their effect.
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