I think pharmacists need to realize what they are doing wrong. Most people say they rather take 3 smaller pills than 1 horse pill. I must say, I agree. WIth the time and anxiety spent on gagging down...
Help! I can't swallow pillsOriginally Published: October 19, 2001 - Last Updated / Reviewed On: August 29, 2008 |
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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.
April 16, 2012
510048I think pharmacists need to realize what they are doing wrong. Most people say they rather take 3 smaller pills than 1 horse pill. I must say, I agree. WIth the time and anxiety spent on gagging down a football, I would have already been able to swallow fifty small pills. Most patients have this problem and there seems to be an easy fix.
March 22, 2012
508997Thanks for your existence, Alice! I found you through google a year ago, when I found this link. Since then, your health advice has been extremely helpful! I came back to this thread this week to...
Thanks for your existence, Alice! I found you through google a year ago, when I found this link. Since then, your health advice has been extremely helpful! I came back to this thread this week to conquer my pill phobia and was able to!!
My trick was: smush soft bread into small pill sized balls (starting small). I figured out how to put in the bread, get some water, holding all of it above my tongue and suctioning it all to the top of mouth and swallowing. Eventually I was able to move from bread to pills! In one case, I put some chocolate syrup on the pill to get rid of the bitter taste....
Thanks, Alice!
Sonya, 23