Pill Scratching Throat
Now, it doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to swallow a pill. Supposedly. However, there are still ways in which we can screw up swallowing a small pill. I did one of my usual blunders this morning. I somehow swallowed my verapamil so that it scratched my throat (even though I swallowed with liquid and didn’t dry swallow). It’s late afternoon and it still feels as if the verapamil is in my throat.
If anybody has any home remedies on how to deal with a pill scratching the throat that don’t invlove booze (I’m a teetotaler), I’d love to hear them.
Could The Pill Still Be In My Throat?
The fear if choking on a pill is a common one. I highly doubt any traces of the pill are in my throat. Even though most pills are round or oblong, the sort-of-hard edges can still bruise the throat. It’s easier for a spilt pill to scratch the throat than a whole one. I just have to wait a day or two for my throat to heal naturally.
Pills can dissolve in your throat instead of your stomach. That could cause a burn like heartburn. Big pills (”horse pills”) like Fosamax, Quinaglute or monster multivitamins can begin to dissolve in your esophogus as it slowly slides down. You’re welcome for the mental picture.
Dysphagia
There are some people who have trouble swallowing because they have a serious condition called dysphagia. As far as I know, I do not have this condition. I can swallow food and drink normally. Also, I don’t think there is such a thing I’ll call “selective dysphagia”, where the body can swallow anything easily EXCEPT a pill.
Don’t panic. This is really rare, but cases have been documented where swallowing a pill required a trip to the emergency room. How do you know if you need to call an ambulance after taking a pill and your throat has been scratched? If you start getting any of the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Bad pain when swallowing food or liquids of any temperature
- Coughing up blood
In order to avoid a scratched throat, take pills with a glass of water, drink a few swallows first before taking the pill and sit up straight to help the pill slide down easier.
December 24th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I used to be able to swallow pills with just liquid. Then as my migraines got more frequent and I took more pills, I began to get more nauseated as I swallowed them. So now I eat a couple crackers, bread, or any food actually - then I push the pill into the food - then swallow. No nausea, or very little. I’m sure this would help your throat from being scratched or “indented” with the pill.
BTW - I do believe in “selective dysphagia”, because I get SO nauseated when I must swallow a pill with liquid only. It’s strange because in highschool I swallowed many acetaminaphen (sp) without anything. I’m 32 and have had migraines since about 13 years old. Relpax, ondansetron, ginger candy, and phenagrin supposatories are my relief now.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:35 pm
i was on my way to work today, and i really neede to take my pill, so i swallowed it without water, or food or liquid, and of course it got stuck, and on top of that dummy me didnt aknowlege that it was a capsul, which gives the pill all the more reason to stick onto anything… i was in pain the entire way, thinking i could drink something, ans voila! its gone! boy was i wrong… i’m still in pain! i drank alot of liquids, ate something thinking it will catch on the food, i even tried throwing up! i later tried hot tea, which didnt make any difference, and ate some cold grapes wich made it feel better. so i think cold releives the best.. i hope its over sooon!
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I was sick Monday and stayed home from school, taking a round 12-Hour Claritan JUMBO tablet, and swallowed it quite easily and it lasted the whole day. Tuesday morning, I awoke to go to school, taking another Claritan to last the whole day, swallowed it with water…at least, that was my intention. It wasn’t until a moment later that I could feel it sitting in my throat. It felt perched on some little ledge in my esophagus. It sat there all day (at least, that’s what it felt like) and I was still waiting for it to dissolve that night two meals later and many hours. I was in pain, and everyone was convincing me that it had dissolved by then. Well, now it’s Thursday, I’m still ealing with the pain,and it doesn’t seem to be subsiding. I must have scratched it, but how do I deal with this? I’m forever obsessing about food getting in it or something like it getting infected and I’m really worried.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Rhiannon — call a doctor. It’s probably nothing, but that is a long time to still feel the pain.
November 7th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
So last night around 1 AM I swallowed a pill and it felt like it got stuck in my throat, but I was too tired to get more water from the kitchen so I just went to bed. Well it’s now 8 PM and I’m STILL in pain. It started in my throat but now I’m having MAJOR chest pains. I’ve been drinking water, I tried hot tea, and eating but it’s only killing me. I don’t feel like waiting for 4 hours in ER for them to tell me nothing is wrong. There’s got to be something else I can do…? And if it just heals on it’s own, will someone who’s had this problem tell me how long these chest pains last? Please and thank you!