Swallowing pills can be such a daunting task especially if you have to do it on a daily basis. The problems associated with pills are numerous. They range from, fear, the bad taste of some of them to forgetting of dosages. Many doctors will tell you that you will not get well if you do not take your medication as prescribed. There are a number of tips on how to swallow pills if you are faced with these challenges.
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 key to the success of any form of swallowing. Ensure that the chin is as close to the chest as possible. This position helps open the esophagus and close the windpipe. This position also helps in stifling the gag reflex. The next thing that you need to do is to take a deep breath which also helps in suppressing the reflex, place the pill in the middle of the tongue and washing it down with some water.
The use of sweeteners is quite widespread because of its simplicity. Peanut butter and honey are some of the most commonly used sweeteners. Put the tablet on a spoon and add a drop or two of honey on it. Swallow both of them with a glass of water. The sweetener that is chosen should not affect the effectiveness of the drug. Peanut butter and honey do not affect this potency.
Enteric coating is a method that is used to give a better taste to drugs by manufactures. Coating sweetens the tablets and makes them easier to swallow. The process also helps in making the tablets more tolerable to the stomach. Once these tablets are put into the mouth, they stimulate secretion of saliva, a process that aids 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.
A number of pills can be swallowed in smaller pieces or crushed into powder. Better still, they can be dissolved in water to make a suspension that is definitely a lot easier to swallow. Ensure that you read the drug information sheet on the proper instructions of swallowing. Breaking down some drugs reduces their potency and it is, therefore, very important that you consult your pharmacist if you have doubts.
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 key to the success of any form of swallowing. Ensure that the chin is as close to the chest as possible. This position helps open the esophagus and close the windpipe. This position also helps in stifling the gag reflex. The next thing that you need to do is to take a deep breath which also helps in suppressing the reflex, place the pill in the middle of the tongue and washing it down with some water.
The use of sweeteners is quite widespread because of its simplicity. Peanut butter and honey are some of the most commonly used sweeteners. Put the tablet on a spoon and add a drop or two of honey on it. Swallow both of them with a glass of water. The sweetener that is chosen should not affect the effectiveness of the drug. Peanut butter and honey do not affect this potency.
Enteric coating is a method that is used to give a better taste to drugs by manufactures. Coating sweetens the tablets and makes them easier to swallow. The process also helps in making the tablets more tolerable to the stomach. Once these tablets are put into the mouth, they stimulate secretion of saliva, a process that aids 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.
A number of pills can be swallowed in smaller pieces or crushed into powder. Better still, they can be dissolved in water to make a suspension that is definitely a lot easier to swallow. Ensure that you read the drug information sheet on the proper instructions of swallowing. Breaking down some drugs reduces their potency and it is, therefore, very important that you consult your pharmacist if you have doubts.
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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