Choking is a potentially lethal accident. It often happens during swallowing, but not always. The medical term for choking is aspiration and it has a variety of possible causes. Some people are more at risk of this occurrence than others, and so it is important to take the necessary aspiration precautions in caring for them and managing their lifestyles.
Food passes through the system starting at the mouth. After chewing, it travels along the esophagus into the stomach. Any impairment in the functioning of the esophagus, such as injured muscles in its walls or an unnatural obstacle in its course, can result in an aspiration incident. Physical disability or advanced age are therefore possible causes of a higher risk.
Large pieces of food are typical culprits in aspiration. Another source of danger is weakness in or injury to muscular walls of the esophagus, caused by either various illnesses (multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons, etc.) or mechanical trauma, like burns or lacerations. The disabled esophagus cannot process the swallowed matter like it normally does and the person is at risk of choking.
But this is not the only mechanism of aspiration. Sometimes, the patient's body cannot get enough oxygen due to an underlying reason. The physical result is that they choke, and they will present symptoms indicating this, such as wheezing respiration, shortness of breath, and the characteristic blue shade to their lips and nails. If these symptoms are observed in the patient, the instant provision of artificial oxygen is necessary. The caregiver should not assume that there is an issue with the esophagus.
Choking is always an alarming event, and it is stressful for those who try to help the choking person too. That is why people who nurse those who are higher risk should inform themselves of the correct measures to use in addressing it, including how to pre-empt possible occurrences. Pre-emption is possible using a range of unsophisticated methods, some of which have been mentioned below.
To start with, eating should be made as easy as possible. The person at risk should always sit upright, preferably in a chair. If a chair is not available, then they should sit upright in bed. This enables easier swallowing, and they should stay in that position for half to three quarters of an hour after they have finished the meal. If they use sedatives, they should sleep on one side, not on their back or stomach.
During eating, the patient should take only small amounts of food at a time, and chew slowly and thoroughly. They should not be distracted until they have swallowed. Those who require to be fed by someone else should only have food put into their mouths if they are adequately aware that someone is trying to do so.
These safety measures assist in the prevention of choking where the patient struggles to eat or drink normally. They are simple methods that do not require extensive training to institute. But where the aspiration is caused by oxygen deficiency as a secondary symptom of another disorder, the assistance of a medical practitioner should be sought as soon as possible. The latter emergency necessitates more complicated professional intervention and is beyond the ability of ordinary members of the public to resolve.
Food passes through the system starting at the mouth. After chewing, it travels along the esophagus into the stomach. Any impairment in the functioning of the esophagus, such as injured muscles in its walls or an unnatural obstacle in its course, can result in an aspiration incident. Physical disability or advanced age are therefore possible causes of a higher risk.
Large pieces of food are typical culprits in aspiration. Another source of danger is weakness in or injury to muscular walls of the esophagus, caused by either various illnesses (multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons, etc.) or mechanical trauma, like burns or lacerations. The disabled esophagus cannot process the swallowed matter like it normally does and the person is at risk of choking.
But this is not the only mechanism of aspiration. Sometimes, the patient's body cannot get enough oxygen due to an underlying reason. The physical result is that they choke, and they will present symptoms indicating this, such as wheezing respiration, shortness of breath, and the characteristic blue shade to their lips and nails. If these symptoms are observed in the patient, the instant provision of artificial oxygen is necessary. The caregiver should not assume that there is an issue with the esophagus.
Choking is always an alarming event, and it is stressful for those who try to help the choking person too. That is why people who nurse those who are higher risk should inform themselves of the correct measures to use in addressing it, including how to pre-empt possible occurrences. Pre-emption is possible using a range of unsophisticated methods, some of which have been mentioned below.
To start with, eating should be made as easy as possible. The person at risk should always sit upright, preferably in a chair. If a chair is not available, then they should sit upright in bed. This enables easier swallowing, and they should stay in that position for half to three quarters of an hour after they have finished the meal. If they use sedatives, they should sleep on one side, not on their back or stomach.
During eating, the patient should take only small amounts of food at a time, and chew slowly and thoroughly. They should not be distracted until they have swallowed. Those who require to be fed by someone else should only have food put into their mouths if they are adequately aware that someone is trying to do so.
These safety measures assist in the prevention of choking where the patient struggles to eat or drink normally. They are simple methods that do not require extensive training to institute. But where the aspiration is caused by oxygen deficiency as a secondary symptom of another disorder, the assistance of a medical practitioner should be sought as soon as possible. The latter emergency necessitates more complicated professional intervention and is beyond the ability of ordinary members of the public to resolve.
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