Suggest Ways To Remove Food Object Stuck In The Throat

Posted on Sun, 5 Mar 2017

Sun, 5 Mar 2017 Answered on

Mon, 3 Apr 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : My wife swallowed a piece of Mellon that she can feel stuck in her esophagus. It hurst and she is uncomfortable but can still breathe. What should be our next step. Won't be able to sleep until something happens. Do we make her throw up or wait it out?

Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can wait for few hours.

Detailed Answer:
Most swallowed objects pass through the digestive tract without any problem and show up in the stool within 7 days,Melon is a soft fruit and even if its struck there in esophagus persrstaltic moments of esophagus will most likely cause it to pass in few hours.
Just watch for symptoms like bleeding,Vomit in blood or breathing difficulty.Breathing difficulty is suggestive of aspiration(food in respiratory tract).

You can wait for next 6 hours.
Ask her to drink plenty of water. Water will help push the piece or will aid the process of dissolving the piece.Ask her to chew a piece of bread completely so that it is well softened by the saliva and then rapidly swallow the chewed piece of bread,This will push the stuck piece forward.
However if she is not relieved in 4-5 hours take her to the nearest emergency room where the piece would be taken out by professionals.

I hope i answered your query well in case of any other query please feel free to ask,I would be glad to answer.
Regards

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D