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Breathing Difficulty And Feeling Of Food Stuck In Chest . Should I Be Worried?
Posted on
Wed, 6 Jun 2012
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 6 Jun 2012
Answered on
Fri, 13 Jul 2012
Last reviewed on
Question : I swallowed a chicken bone, maybe an inch long? It doesn't hurt but i can feel something almost stuck in my chest, breathing feels a little uncomfortable. should I worry?
Hello and thanks for the query.
It is rare for a small chicken bone to go in lungs in adults.
Had it happened,you would have developed choking,continuous cough and breathing difficulties.
First of all, realize that a small chicken bone, when swallowed, can scratch the inside of your throat and make it FEEL as if there is still something there when there is not. If you did swallow it then it is nothing to worry about.
However If you are having any difficulty breathing or swallowing or if the pain becomes worse then you need to go to the ER.
If you are just suffering from a slight discomfort then there is no harm in waiting on this one. If you have persistent sensation that something is 'in there' then tomorrow you can go.
Certainly in next couple of days if this is merely a scratch then it will be mostly better. If there is really a small piece of bone there it will not feel any better.
I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck.
Thanks
It is rare for a small chicken bone to go in lungs in adults.
Had it happened,you would have developed choking,continuous cough and breathing difficulties.
First of all, realize that a small chicken bone, when swallowed, can scratch the inside of your throat and make it FEEL as if there is still something there when there is not. If you did swallow it then it is nothing to worry about.
However If you are having any difficulty breathing or swallowing or if the pain becomes worse then you need to go to the ER.
If you are just suffering from a slight discomfort then there is no harm in waiting on this one. If you have persistent sensation that something is 'in there' then tomorrow you can go.
Certainly in next couple of days if this is merely a scratch then it will be mostly better. If there is really a small piece of bone there it will not feel any better.
I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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