Thursday, December 11, 2014

Finger Tip Information You Should Have When It Comes To Aspiration Precautions

By Lucia Weeks


Aspiration refers to the drawing in of a foreign substance into the respiratory tract of an individual during inhalation. This is a risky affair that could cause someone to lose their life. This makes it necessary to have knowledge, however little of aspiration precautions. You need to find out if you could be a candidate for this condition by checking your health status.

There a number of things that can cause this. An example is conditions that affect the food pipe by causing it to narrow. There are also medical conditions that affect swallowing. An individual could be at risk if he or she has a decreased gag reflex. Using a feeding tube may lead to this. A person with reduced awareness could also have aspiration.

You can easily note someone who is going through such an episode. They could be coughing a lot due to food being positioned in the wrong place. They could be gasping for air and eventually breathe real slowly as the air in their lungs keeps reducing. They could spit out sputum that has a disgusting smell with noticeable particles. There could be color change due to lack of sufficient air.

Only an expert can tell for sure what is going on. So it is good to go for a checkup. Undergoing an x ray can be one such step done. This helps get an overview of the chest area. The medical officer can evaluate the eating habits of the patient. This also involves the ease or difficulty in swallowing. Those interested in surgery to fix the problem can also consider it.

Special care ought to be given to people who are likely to undergo this. While eating they should sit upright to ensure the food goes to the right place. There should be no rush while eating and food needs to be chewed properly. Those who have cognitive problems should not be distracted whatsoever. Check their mouths for any remains after eating.

People who use feeding tubes should also be careful to avoid this situation. They should be kept upright as much as possible. This ought to be especially when they are getting continuous feeding. They should not lay flat as this may cause complications. In case they have to lie flat, the pump must be turned off. The tube should be checked for residuals to avoid taking in large feedings.

There are a couple of preventive measures that can go a long way in helping this people. They should not be forced or rushed while eating. They should also eat small amounts at a time. There should be oral care before and after meals to ensure nothing goes to the wrong place. During this process small amounts of water should be used.

Nurses can find alternatives to medicines that cause difficulty in swallowing. This is important in the case of these individuals. They should take in proper foods that do not have a lot of crumbles and are not dry or sticky. Families and caretakers should have the technical know how of dealing with these people. They always need someone by their side. Information is vital and should be acquired at any cost.




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