How Bad Is It Really To Swallow Pills Without Water And Is swallowing Pills Dry bad?

Is Swallowing Pills Dry Bad? It’s easy for a pill to become trapped in your throat if you don’t have water to help a capsule move down smoothly.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, tablets frequently become lodged in the cricopharyngeus, a ring-shaped muscle near the top of the esophagus. And when that occurs, there may be a choking risk.

According to Dr. Jose, some populations are more prone to choking, including the elderly, persons who have trouble swallowing (such as those who are recuperating from a stroke), and people who have neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease.

But even if you’re in generally good condition, taking dry pills can set off specific reflexes that make it difficult to swallow and cause choking.

For instance, Dr. Jose explains that in order to successfully swallow a tablet, one must first get over the chewing reaction, which is triggered by the presence of something on the tongue. The gag reflex is another. According to her, this is triggered when the tonsils or base of the tongue are touched.

Warning

A pill may dissolve in the esophagus if it becomes lodged there. Its acidity may cause the lining of your throat to burn as it dissolves, warns Dr. Jose. Additionally, this may irritate and inflame the delicate area.

According to Dr. Jose, a trapped capsule may occasionally even result in esophageal tissue injury. According to the Mayo Clinic, this is referred to as drug-induced esophagitis, a condition that results in uncomfortable symptoms like difficulty swallowing, chest pain, heartburn, and acid regurgitation.

According to a small April 2014 study published in the Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology, almost any type of medication can cause issues for your esophagus (including ulcers) when a pill sits in your throat for too long.‌

The most common culprits in your medicine cabinet include, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Over-the-counter pain-relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium
• Antibiotics, such as tetracycline and doxycycline
• Potassium chloride (used to treat potassium deficiency)
• Bisphosphonates (used to treat osteoporosis)
• Quinidine (used to treat heart problems)

According to Dr. Jose, swallowing medicines dry can leave your mouth with an unpleasant or bitter taste. Again, this pertains to the notion that, before reaching your stomach, your drug may slightly dissolve and leave behind some residue.

While not necessarily hazardous, a bad-tasting tablet might ruin your experience consuming pills. And this could deter you from taking your medications as directed, which could be harmful to your health.

Try these tips to make sure your capsules go down easily every time:

• Take a sip of water. The University of Rochester Medical Center states that taking your pills with lots of drink will help prepare your throat to push a pill beyond your esophagus. Dr. Jose advises drinking 50 to 60 milliliters of water, or roughly 1.5 to 2 ounces, before taking tablets. She continues, “Amounts smaller than 30 milliliters may hinder a pill’s transit, causing it to become lodged in the esophagus.
• Move your head: According to Dr. Jose, changing your body’s and head’s position can make swallowing pills simpler. Put the tablet on your tongue, sip some water, lean your head forward, tuck your chin in toward your chest, and swallow the pill with the water to try the chin-down position. Alternately, try holding your head up, placing the pill on your tongue, leaning back, taking a sip of water, and then swallowing.
• Take your tablet with food: According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, mixing your medicine with a little amount of applesauce may help your swallowing muscles and make taking tablets more bearable. But some medications need to be taken on an empty stomach. So, according to Dr. Jose, taking medications with meals may raise the chance of a food-to-drug interaction. This can lessen your medication’s therapeutic impact and rate of absorption. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist what you can add to your prescription, advises the author.
• Crush the pill: Taking your medications with water and mashing them up can also be beneficial. Once more, always speak with your pharmacist first. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, crushing some pills will make them less effective, such as long-acting or slow-release medications.

Tip

Even after taking all the necessary precautions, a tablet might occasionally become stuck. Here are some easy methods to assist move it:

• Bite a banana: Always ask your doctor if it’s ok to take your medications with food. But according to Dr. Jose, if you’re in a bind and have a pill stuck in your throat, eating a banana will help you force it down.
• ‌Drink water:‌ Yes, drinking additional water will eventually cause a stuck pill to fall from your neck.

Don’t make it a habit of swallowing tablets without water, even if it probably won’t harm you occasionally. The potential drawbacks of dry pill swallowing outweigh any benefits. Additionally, those who have certain medical conditions that make it difficult to swallow pills may find that popping dry pills is particularly risky.

All of this is to say: If you need to take a pill, get off your bum and go get a glass of water to wash it down. It’s better to be safe than sorry.