These days, many people are taking medication. If they're not on one or more pharmaceuticals, they probably take supplements like vitamin or mineral tablets or capsules. However, many of them have trouble swallowing pills. In fact, some doctors and researchers say that 40% or more of Americans have this problem.
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.
One tip concerns the position of your head during the process. People may think that throwing the head back will make things easier, but this is apparently the wrong approach. Doing this actually makes your throat narrower. Experts suggest tucking your head into your chest, which relaxes the throat and should help a tablet or capsule go down.
Some have an over-active gag reflex and find that trying to ingest something they haven't chewed will trigger it. They may expel a pill rather than getting it down. Others find that the pill, especially if it's in tablet form, sticks half-way down. Following the tablet with a piece of bread or a mouthful of food may help. Young children and the elderly are prone to these difficulties.
Since chewing a tablet or capsule is not a good idea, because the manufacturers didn't intend them to be ingested that way, it's essential to find a way to make the process easier. One tip that sounds like fun is to wrap the pill in a gummy bear or fruit snack. Let the whole get slippery in your mouth, maybe hastening the process by a sip of warm liquid, and swallow it down.
Using a straw to take in liquid to wash down the tablet or capsule is another tip. Apparently the act of sucking on a straw helps relax the throat and take enough liquid to swallow with an open throat. Chewing a mouthful of food and popping the pill in right before swallowing is another way to get it down and keep it from lodging half-way.
Water is the usual medium used to wash down medications, many of which are to be taken on an empty stomach. Care must be taken to read the directions; sometimes certain foods and beverages will interfere with the action of the ingredients. Those who have trouble drinking liquids, like people suffering from a condition called dysphagia, can use a thickening agent to keep from choking.
Cutting or crushing a tablet can help, but some supplements and medications come in special forms which should not be altered - like enteric-coated ones which are designed to pass through the stomach unharmed and dissolve in the large intestine. Pills also may taste terrible, so taking them whole is better. Tips include gulping practice to get used to taking large amounts of liquid, making a conscious effort to relax, and using chewed food rather than liquid to ingest the tablet.
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.
One tip concerns the position of your head during the process. People may think that throwing the head back will make things easier, but this is apparently the wrong approach. Doing this actually makes your throat narrower. Experts suggest tucking your head into your chest, which relaxes the throat and should help a tablet or capsule go down.
Some have an over-active gag reflex and find that trying to ingest something they haven't chewed will trigger it. They may expel a pill rather than getting it down. Others find that the pill, especially if it's in tablet form, sticks half-way down. Following the tablet with a piece of bread or a mouthful of food may help. Young children and the elderly are prone to these difficulties.
Since chewing a tablet or capsule is not a good idea, because the manufacturers didn't intend them to be ingested that way, it's essential to find a way to make the process easier. One tip that sounds like fun is to wrap the pill in a gummy bear or fruit snack. Let the whole get slippery in your mouth, maybe hastening the process by a sip of warm liquid, and swallow it down.
Using a straw to take in liquid to wash down the tablet or capsule is another tip. Apparently the act of sucking on a straw helps relax the throat and take enough liquid to swallow with an open throat. Chewing a mouthful of food and popping the pill in right before swallowing is another way to get it down and keep it from lodging half-way.
Water is the usual medium used to wash down medications, many of which are to be taken on an empty stomach. Care must be taken to read the directions; sometimes certain foods and beverages will interfere with the action of the ingredients. Those who have trouble drinking liquids, like people suffering from a condition called dysphagia, can use a thickening agent to keep from choking.
Cutting or crushing a tablet can help, but some supplements and medications come in special forms which should not be altered - like enteric-coated ones which are designed to pass through the stomach unharmed and dissolve in the large intestine. Pills also may taste terrible, so taking them whole is better. Tips include gulping practice to get used to taking large amounts of liquid, making a conscious effort to relax, and using chewed food rather than liquid to ingest the tablet.
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