We're all familiar with medication or nutritional supplements in pill form. The shelves of pharmacies, drug stores, health food stores, and even groceries are crowded with them. However, many people have trouble swallowing pills. Research suggests that as much as 40% of the population may have this difficulty.
The internet is a wonderful resource if you are one of the 40%. First of all, it's nice to know you're not alone when you're having difficulties. There's so much advice online that you quickly figure out this is not an uncommon problem. Then, of course, you can take advantage of the ideas you find online. There are testimonials from private individuals and posts from health care professionals with medical credentials.
Apparently the position in which you hold your head is important to the swallowing process. The idea of throwing your head back when drinking deeply isn't helpful when you take a pill. It narrows your throat rather than opening it. Tucking your chin to your chest relaxes the throat and makes a dose go down more easily.
Some people tense up when they face the fact that it's time to take their medication or supplement, making the problem worse. Others have an over-active gag reflex which any un-chewed object can trigger. Very young children find taking a pill almost impossible, while the elderly may have ever-increasing trouble with swallowing pills, food, or even liquids.
Chewing the pill or capsule is not recommended unless you know that this won't interfere with the action of the substance. Anyway, many things that are good for us taste terrible. One tip found online is to insert the pill in a gummy bear or a fruit snack, which quickly gets slippery when in your mouth. This makes the whole slide down more easily; you can practice first with just the gummy and see how easy it is.
Using a straw is another idea. The sucking action positions your mouth and throat in a proper way to allow a tablet to enter the throat, and the suction created in your mouth hastens the process. You can also pop a pill after you've chewed a mouthful of food completely and then swallow food and all. This should help prevent the pill from getting stuck half-way down, which is another problem that many people experience.
Water is the safest liquid to use when taking medication, since it doesn't interfere with the ingredients or the efficacy of the pharmaceutical. You can check and see if there are any warnings about food or beverages which should be avoided. If not, many find that carbonated beverages work well. If you have trouble with liquid or regular food, you may have dysphagia, a condition which may require a special diet and medical supervision.
Cutting or crushing the tablet can help, but this may not be recommended. The taste may be awful, as well. It's better to practice taking big gulps, trying to hold your head properly, learning to relax, and using food or favorite liquids to make it easier. You can also ask if the medication or supplement is available in liquid or chewable form, or as a sub-lingual or spray.
The internet is a wonderful resource if you are one of the 40%. First of all, it's nice to know you're not alone when you're having difficulties. There's so much advice online that you quickly figure out this is not an uncommon problem. Then, of course, you can take advantage of the ideas you find online. There are testimonials from private individuals and posts from health care professionals with medical credentials.
Apparently the position in which you hold your head is important to the swallowing process. The idea of throwing your head back when drinking deeply isn't helpful when you take a pill. It narrows your throat rather than opening it. Tucking your chin to your chest relaxes the throat and makes a dose go down more easily.
Some people tense up when they face the fact that it's time to take their medication or supplement, making the problem worse. Others have an over-active gag reflex which any un-chewed object can trigger. Very young children find taking a pill almost impossible, while the elderly may have ever-increasing trouble with swallowing pills, food, or even liquids.
Chewing the pill or capsule is not recommended unless you know that this won't interfere with the action of the substance. Anyway, many things that are good for us taste terrible. One tip found online is to insert the pill in a gummy bear or a fruit snack, which quickly gets slippery when in your mouth. This makes the whole slide down more easily; you can practice first with just the gummy and see how easy it is.
Using a straw is another idea. The sucking action positions your mouth and throat in a proper way to allow a tablet to enter the throat, and the suction created in your mouth hastens the process. You can also pop a pill after you've chewed a mouthful of food completely and then swallow food and all. This should help prevent the pill from getting stuck half-way down, which is another problem that many people experience.
Water is the safest liquid to use when taking medication, since it doesn't interfere with the ingredients or the efficacy of the pharmaceutical. You can check and see if there are any warnings about food or beverages which should be avoided. If not, many find that carbonated beverages work well. If you have trouble with liquid or regular food, you may have dysphagia, a condition which may require a special diet and medical supervision.
Cutting or crushing the tablet can help, but this may not be recommended. The taste may be awful, as well. It's better to practice taking big gulps, trying to hold your head properly, learning to relax, and using food or favorite liquids to make it easier. You can also ask if the medication or supplement is available in liquid or chewable form, or as a sub-lingual or spray.
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