“A hard pill to swallow” is more than just a metaphor.
Four in ten adults have difficulty swallowing pills, which can prevent them from receiving much-needed medications.
Many patients have trouble swallowing larger pills, but even smaller capsules and tablets can cause nausea, vomiting, or choking.
Now, speech-language pathologist Leanne Goldberg has revealed the “correct” way to swallow pills which she says is safer than common methods.
He said placing the pill in the center of a tablespoon of applesauce, yogurt or a similar texture, allowing the pill to gently go down to the consistency of puree, will do the trick.
“To combat hypersensitive nausea, you can breathe deeply, hold your breath, place the pill in the middle of your tongue, take a sip of liquid, and swallow firmly, all while keeping your breath held,” Goldberg saying: ‘
Many patients have trouble swallowing larger pills, but it is also common to have difficulty with smaller capsules, causing nausea, vomiting, or choking.
Most people who have difficulty swallowing pills do not have the same difficulty swallowing liquids or food, which is known as pill dysphagia.
The discomfort can be so significant that it prevents a person from taking prescribed medications.
One survey found that of the 40 percent of people who have difficulty swallowing pills, 14 percent have delayed taking doses of their medication, 8 percent have skipped a dose and 4 percent have stopped using their medication.
Dr. Goldberg said that while most patients have difficulty swallowing larger pills, it is also common to have difficulty with smaller capsules.
Several factors can contribute to this problem, including a hypersensitive gag reflex, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), anxiety, aversion to the taste of pills, scleroderma (a condition that causes scar-like tissue to form in the esophagus), and long-lasting problems resulting from radiation therapy after head and neck cancer treatment.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Heidelberg in Germany suggest two techniques to help people improve their ability to take medications.
One of them is the soda bottle method. First, fill a plastic water or soda bottle with water, place the tablet on your tongue, and seal your lips tightly around the opening of the bottle.
Then, take a drink while holding the bottle pressed to your lips, using a sucking motion to swallow both the water and the pill. Make sure not to let air into the bottle.
The researchers asked about 140 people who had problems swallowing pills to try this method with their eyes closed while swallowing large and very large pills.
They showed a 60 percent improvement in swallowing compared to the previous method of taking a sip of water from a cup and attempting to swallow.
The forward-tilt method of swallowing pills involves placing a capsule on your tongue, taking a sip of water without swallowing, and then tilting your chin toward your chest. With your head tilted, swallow both the capsule and the water.
This technique was an 89 percent improvement over the old method of taking a sip of water from a cup and trying to swallow.
His report was published in the Annals of family medicine.
Experts warned against crushing medications into a fine powder to mix with a drink or slimy food.
Crushing a pill can change its effectiveness by damaging its coating or its controlled-release mechanism, which could lead to an overdose or underdose, depending on the medication.