If you get a pill stuck in your throat, it is important to remain calm. You can take several steps to dislodge it, such as performing a Heimlich maneuver or CPR.
Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.N., CCRN, CPN
Getting a pill stuck in your throat can be a scary experience, but several methods can help. When trying these steps, it’s important not to panic as this could cause your throat to tighten and restrict your breathing.
You can try coughing to dislodge the pill from the throat. If this doesn’t work, stay calm and drink water. Drinking water usually helps to wash down the pill.
Typically, a pill getting stuck in the throat won’t affect your breathing. However, if it remains in your throat too long, it can cause damage.
This is pill esophagitis, which occurs when the pill stuck in the throat dissolves and causes damage to the surrounding tissue.
If coughing or drinking water doesn’t dislodge the pill, several emergency methods can help. These include:
Heimlich maneuver (five-and-five method)
Photography by Xavier Lorenzo/Getty Images
You use the Red Cross’s five-and-five method, also known as the Heimlich maneuver when a person has choked on something and can’t breathe. It has this name because it consists of five back blows and five abdominal thrusts.
This method is only performed if someone else can assist the person with the pill stuck in their throat.
To perform the five-and-five method you should:
Stand behind the person who has the pill stuck in the throat.
Place one arm across their chest and lean them forward.
With the palm of your other hand, give them five back blows.
Then, put one fist above their navel and the other hand on top of your fist, holding on to the wrist.
Give them five abdominal thrusts.
Keep performing these steps until the person coughs up or spits out the pill.
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If you’re alone when a pill gets stuck in your throat and you can’t remove it by coughing or drinking water, you can perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself.
The steps include:
Place a fist with the thumb positioned right above your navel.
Put your other hand on top of the fist.
Bend over a hard surface, such as a table, countertop, or the back of a chair.
Thrust forward, pushing your fist into your abdomen in an upward movement.
Continue until you cough up or spit out the pill.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
If you are with someone who is choking on a pill and becomes unconscious, call emergency services right away and perform CPR while you wait.
Remember that the position and location of your hands during CPR change depending on whether the person is an adult, a child, or an infant.
Lie the person who is choking down on their back on a flat surface.
For an adult, place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest, position your other hand on top, and interlace your fingers. For a small child, place one hand on the chest. For a baby, place two fingers on the chest.
Perform 30 breast compressions.
Tilt the person’s head and lift their chin.
Give two rescue breaths, which consist of pinching their nostrils and giving mouth-to-mouth breaths.
Repeat this series until the person regains consciousness or emergency personnel arrives.
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Swallowing pills may be difficult for some people.
A 2021 study of 152 people found that up to 32% of participants experienced trouble swallowing tablets and capsules and reported incidents of choking.
This may be due to the shape of the pill, the person’s mouth cavity size, and even a higher taste sensitivity.
Several ways can make swallowing pills easier and prevent choking.
These include:
When taking pills, do so in an upright position, whether it’s standing up or sitting upright.
Take your pills with a glass of water.
Tilt your head to help relax your throat muscles.
If the taste of the pill bothers you, you can try taking it with something else, such as mashed potatoes or applesauce.
You can also try crushing the pills and mixing them with a smoothie. However, you should only do so after speaking with a healthcare professional about whether this method is safe and effective.
Stay upright for about 10 minutes after taking the medication.
When should you get medical attention?
If you or someone else is choking on a pill and is having trouble dislodging it, call emergency medical attention right away.
Seeking medical attention immediately is particularly important if the person choking:
has trouble breathing
becomes unconscious
is a child or infant
Summary
Having a pill stuck in the throat is not only uncomfortable but also a scary experience. But it’s important to remain calm. Usually, you can dislodge the pill by coughing or drinking more water.
In cases when these methods can’t dislodge the pill, a Heimlich maneuver can be performed by someone else. You can perform an altered version on yourself if no one is around.
If the person is unconscious or can’t breathe, you should call emergency services right away and perform CPR while you wait.
Some people have difficulty swallowing pills. But some methods can make it easier and prevent choking, such as taking the pill with water while upright or with soft foods like mashed potatoes and applesauce.
