According to Mayoclinic.com, people who have difficulty swallowing medicines such as pills and tablets, but not other substances, suffer from unexplained dysphagia. Swallowing larger medicines can be the greatest challenge to anyone with this problem and may trigger anxiety as well as the gag reflex. Some medicines are designed to be broken into smaller pieces, which may be helpful. Depending on the drug prescribed, a pharmacist and doctor together may be able to offer a liquid, powder or other form of a needed medicine. However, many people can learn to swallow pills by first practicing several times using candy as a decoy of their medicine.
Step 1
Fill a glass with cool or tepid water, which may be better for helping your throat to relax. Have several pill-shaped candies--such as M&Ms, Skittles or mints--near you. Take a few slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling slowly and gently through pursed lips. This may help to relieve mild anxiety and tension in your muscles, including those of your throat.
Step 2
Drink a few swallows of water. Doing so right before you start lubricates your mouth and throat, which helps make it easier to swallow the candy.
Step 3
Place one candy on the center of your tongue, toward the front, holding it there. It is not necessary to place it toward the back of your tongue; putting your fingers too close to this area can stimulate the gag reflex. Be aware of any anxious thoughts and try to clear them, focusing on completing the action without overthinking it, or worrying about the next step.
Step 4
Draw in a good sip of water through slightly pursed lips and swallow, continuing to swallow two or three times before stopping. As you do this, keep your head in a neutral position, as opposed to tilting it back. Raising your chin and tilting your head back is actually more likely to stimulate your gag reflex, as doing so narrows the spaces you need for swallowing. As best you can, continue to clear any worrisome thoughts, as described in Step 3.
Step 5
Repeat Steps 1 through 4 as necessary or until you have succeeded several times comfortably with the candy. Then, move on to the medication once you've gotten used to swallowing the candy.
Tips and Warnings
- According to "Medsafe", leaning the head forward a bit results in success for a significant proportion of people who find it difficult to swallow pills, much more so than tilting the head back. Try slightly lowering your chin in this way. Chicagotribune.com reports that some people find it easier to swallow pills with a carbonated beverage, as the fizzy bubbles may mask the presence of a pill on the tongue. Practicing with very small candy at first and then gradually increasing the size may better acclimate you to swallowing a larger pill. Drinking through a straw may also help. by creating suction that sweeps the pill down.
- It is essential to never chew, crush, split or otherwise alter any medicine without first speaking to your doctor or pharmacist. Many medicines, such as time release pills, are designed to break down in specific ways and to delivering drugs in precise dosages over a pre-established length of time. Altering your medicine could cause you to get the wrong dose, which may be dangerous. If you have diabetes, it may not be appropriate for you to practice swallowing pills by using candy. It is important for anyone with diabetes to speak to their doctor about this first before doing it. Never practice swallowing pills by using medicine that you are not prescribed and not otherwise scheduled to take at any given time.
Things You'll Need
- Small, round candies
- Water
- Drinking glass
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