Topic Overview
When you swallow food, liquid, or an object, what is
swallowed passes from your mouth through your throat and
into your stomach. A swallowed object will
usually pass through the rest of your
without problems and show up in your stool in a few days. If food
or a nonfood item gets stuck along the way, a problem may develop that will
require a visit to a doctor.
Sometimes when you try to swallow, the
swallowed substance "goes down the wrong way" and gets inhaled into your
windpipe or lungs (). This occurs most often in children who are
younger than 3 years and in adults who are older than age 50. When you do
inhale a substance, coughing is a normal reaction of the body to clear the
throat and windpipe. The cough is helpful and may clear up the problem.
Inhaling a substance into your lungs can cause a lung inflammation and
infection ().
The situation may
be more serious when:
- (complete airway
obstruction) are present. When the windpipe is blocked, air cannot move in and
out of the lungs and the person cannot talk, cry, breathe, or cough. A blocked windpipe is a
life-threatening emergency.
- Signs of a
are present. When the
windpipe is partially blocked, some air can still move in and out of the lungs.
The person may gag, cough, or have trouble breathing. Coughing will often pop out the food or object and relieve the symptoms. The
choking rescue procedure is not recommended when the
windpipe is partially blocked.
- An
in the esophagus.
- A
, such as a wild mushroom, a plant, or a chemical. For more information, see the topic
Poisoning
- A
potentially poisonous object, such as a condom filled with illegal drugs, has
been swallowed.
- A
has been swallowed.
- A
swallowed object doesn't show up in the stool within 7 days.
About 80% to 90% of swallowed objects, like chewing gum, are harmless and pass through the
gastrointestinal tract without problems. But some types of objects can
cause more serious problems when they are swallowed. These include:
- Sharp objects, such as open safety pins, bones,
toothpicks, needles, razor blades, or broken thermometers.
- Long
objects.
- Large objects that may get stuck in the digestive
tract and require removal.
Your doctor may recommend tests such as an
,
, or
to help find the object if it doesn't
come out in the stool, or if an inhaled object is not coughed out. See an
. A special metal detector (not the same kind that
people use in their yards) might be used to locate a metallic object, such as a
coin, inside the body. Your doctor may then recommend a procedure to remove the
object or may simply encourage you to continue to check the stool for the
passage of the object.
Check your symptoms to
decide if and when you should see a doctor.