Dear Alice,
I'm a young adult who can't swallow pills — so far I've always been able to find a chewable
form of anything I've had to take, but this is a life skill that I think I should have. I've tried all
sorts of methods — putting a pill in Jello/ice cream, filling my mouth with water and then
trying to take a pill, even trying to swallow small candies as practice — but I just seem to gag.
I think it's because my throat doesn't want to relax enough to let something solid slide down it
— do you have any suggestions for how I could improve this situation?
Thanks,
Can't Swallow
Dear Can't Swallow,
Rest assured that many young adults and some not-so-young adults share your problem. It's
understandably strange to swallow a solid substance without chewing; it can seem against
natural reflexes (not to mention, against table manners). Nonetheless, when it comes to
medication, pills are extremely convenient and very much the norm. There is no cure-all for
this challenge; different people use different strategies for different reasons. There are,
however, liquid, powder, and even suppository forms of medications, herbs, and other healers;
a chat with a pharmacist might be the best way to help the medicine go down.
But, since pill swallowing will likely remain part of your health plan from time to time, check
out this physiology factoid: because of the epiglottis, the vocal fold closure that covers the
larynx or voice box, it is physically impossible to inhale a pill. So, don't even worry about
that happening.
You can approach pill swallowing from several angles. A number of handy tips, including
some old tricks, some new ones, and some you've already tested, for trying to get those
tablets, gel caps, or capsules down are listed in the table below:
| Practice foods
|
Swallow mini candies, or small bites of food, without chewing to
simulate pill taking.
|
| Embed a tablet in food and consume both together.
IMPORTANT: Some prescription drugs are affected by certain foods, so check with your health care provider before trying this one. |
| Helpful liquids |
Sip a cold, carbonated beverage (sparkling water, lemon-lime soda) straight from the bottle when swallowing a pill. |
| Spray or gargle with an over-the-counter topical anesthetic (normally
used for sore throats) before swallowing. |
| Different
techniques |
Take a deep breath before putting the tablet in your mouth; some say that
this can suppress gag reflexes.
|
| Place the pill on the back of your tongue, drink some water, tilt your chin down toward your chest, and swallow. |
| Put the pill on the tip of your tongue, drink some water, tilt your head back, and swallow. |
Combining some of the above ideas could yield a remedy for you, but if none of them help,
it's time to consider some larger issues.
The fact is your throat is one part of your body, so it operates as part of a complex system. If you're tense about pill swallowing, that tension will most certainly surface when you try to swallow a pill. While it may seem as if you have an extraordinarily strong gag reflex or odd throat mannerisms, consider that it may actually be the power of your mind, not the power of your throat. Try to psych yourself out with this pill swallowing mantra — "I can swallow this." "I can see the pill going down."
Or, perhaps not being able to swallow tablets has something to do with a past event? Did you
choke on a peach pit many years ago? Has a school nurse with dirty hands forced you to take
a pill? Subconsciously, you may be dealing with issues such as these every time you try to
swallow an aspirin or vitamin. Fear of choking, fear of medicine, or general anxiety may be
preventing you from swallowing pills. If you think these mental factors are to blame, you
might consider talking with a counselor.
While it seems unlikely, the possibility of a greater medical issue does exist. The medical term for difficulty swallowing is dysphagia, and the term is often used with regard to a disorder of the esophagus. At your next check-up, talk with your provider about your difficulty swallowing pills. Keep in mind, though, that if you can swallow your food without trouble, your esophagus is probably fine.
- Alice
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Help! I can't swallow pills
