Some Tips On How To Swallow Pills
The fear of swallowing pills is a fairly common one. It is more common in children than adults and is one that can compromise treatment if not addressed in time. Apart from this fear other problems that are associated with pills include bad taste and forgetfulness. These problems are more pronounced in people with chronic illnesses who require constant medication. There are a number of tips on how to swallow pills that have been found to be useful.
The fear of gagging is the biggest challenge to swallowing. While the gag reflex is very vital to the maintenance of a patent airway, it may impede the passage of some substances such as medication. Successful swallowing of some drugs may require that this reflex is suppressed at least momentarily. There are several relaxation techniques that can be used to relax and suppress it.
Positioning is one of the most important things that you need to learn. Placing the chin as close to the chest as possible is a position that helps in keeping the esophagus open and the windpipe closed. In this position the reflex is suppressed and the fear to swallow overcome. Taking a deep breath is also helpful. Place the tablet in the middle of the tongue and use some water to wash it down.
One of the easiest ways of getting the pill into your stomach is to use a sweetener. Honey and peanut butter are particularly good with children. A drop or two will be enough for a single pill. Use a spoon to swallow the coated pill and wash it down with a glass of water. The good news is that neither honey nor peanut butter has an effect on the potency of the drug so you do not have to worry about the effectiveness.
There are many pills that are available with enteric coating to make them sweeter. Coating also reduces the irritation of the stomach lining and makes the drugs more tolerable. Ensure that you talk to your pharmacist regarding the availability of this type of pills. These tablets are effective in stimulating the secretion of saliva that is also important for the process.
Sometimes it may take several practice sessions to make it easier. Commonly, people use candy for this process. The candy helps to relax the esophagus so that the pill goes through easily. Ensure that the candy that is used for this is almost the same size as that of the pill. Using other liquids other than water may help as well.
Breaking down pills is yet another option that one may consider. A number of them can even be ground into powder. Breaking down drugs in this manner may, however, interfere with the effectiveness. It is important that you go through the instructions on the drug sheet before you arrive at such a decision. Better still, consult with your pharmacist.
Scheduled medications pose a challenge to many people. Forgetting a dosage is very easy if you have many things to deal with in a day. One of the ways of tackling this is to have an alarm reminder that goes off every time your medication is due. You may also plan your dosages in such a manner that they coincide with meal times.
The fear of gagging is the biggest challenge to swallowing. While the gag reflex is very vital to the maintenance of a patent airway, it may impede the passage of some substances such as medication. Successful swallowing of some drugs may require that this reflex is suppressed at least momentarily. There are several relaxation techniques that can be used to relax and suppress it.
Positioning is one of the most important things that you need to learn. Placing the chin as close to the chest as possible is a position that helps in keeping the esophagus open and the windpipe closed. In this position the reflex is suppressed and the fear to swallow overcome. Taking a deep breath is also helpful. Place the tablet in the middle of the tongue and use some water to wash it down.
One of the easiest ways of getting the pill into your stomach is to use a sweetener. Honey and peanut butter are particularly good with children. A drop or two will be enough for a single pill. Use a spoon to swallow the coated pill and wash it down with a glass of water. The good news is that neither honey nor peanut butter has an effect on the potency of the drug so you do not have to worry about the effectiveness.
There are many pills that are available with enteric coating to make them sweeter. Coating also reduces the irritation of the stomach lining and makes the drugs more tolerable. Ensure that you talk to your pharmacist regarding the availability of this type of pills. These tablets are effective in stimulating the secretion of saliva that is also important for the process.
Sometimes it may take several practice sessions to make it easier. Commonly, people use candy for this process. The candy helps to relax the esophagus so that the pill goes through easily. Ensure that the candy that is used for this is almost the same size as that of the pill. Using other liquids other than water may help as well.
Breaking down pills is yet another option that one may consider. A number of them can even be ground into powder. Breaking down drugs in this manner may, however, interfere with the effectiveness. It is important that you go through the instructions on the drug sheet before you arrive at such a decision. Better still, consult with your pharmacist.
Scheduled medications pose a challenge to many people. Forgetting a dosage is very easy if you have many things to deal with in a day. One of the ways of tackling this is to have an alarm reminder that goes off every time your medication is due. You may also plan your dosages in such a manner that they coincide with meal times.
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