Suggest Treatment For Accidental Aspiration Of A Pill

Posted on Wed, 15 Jun 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 Answered on

Sat, 9 Jul 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : HI, I went to take a pill and I started to laugh at someone and it felt like my water and maybe pill went down to my lungs, I started coughing right away. I can breath now, im just worried maybe I swallowed my pill into my lungs, is that possible. would I know right away? would signs of it show up later?

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Foreign body in lungs

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with our health care concerns

I am sorry to hear that you may have aspirated your pills. In all likelihood you did not breath in your pill into your lungs. If you had you would have tremendous amount of coughing and possible chest pain and difficulty breathing. Your body really does not like having foreign material in the lungs and will forceable try to remove it with coughing. you would be feeling a lot worse if you had. So be reassured you are not in danger of breathing in your pill or aspirating the pill.

I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar