Nose, Ear and Throat Department is the department that is usually busy during Dashain. Because at this time more than any other time, the number of patients who come with stuck meat bones increases. It is common to cook meat dishes continuously during Dashain. If you do not chew properly, the risk may increase.
Along with adults, there are also senior citizens who come to the hospital with meat bones stuck. People who drink alcohol while eating meat and pay more attention to talking or mobile phones than food can have this problem due to inattention.
How is the risk of getting stuck?
Swallowing food in a hurry, not chewing meat properly and not paying attention to separating bones can cause this problem. Senior citizens are most at risk. When their teeth are loose or weak, it is difficult to chew meat properly. Aging can also cause changes in the swallowing process.
In this case, there is a risk of swallowing small bones along with the meat or getting stuck in the throat. Similarly, those who consume alcohol along with meat are at the same risk. This risk can also increase in those who consume alcohol after eating meat.
How do you get stuck?
Meat bones can get stuck in the mouth and throat, esophagus or respiratory tract. If the bone gets stuck in the esophagus, it can cause pain in the throat or chest, difficulty in swallowing, drooling and inability to swallow food or water.
If the bone gets into the respiratory tract, it can cause coughing, difficulty breathing, or even suffocation. Such a situation is an emergency that requires immediate treatment. Even if there is a suspicion that the bone is stuck, its location and severity cannot be known by looking from the outside. Therefore, if symptoms appear, do not wait at home.
Do not take measures such as inducing vomiting
Many people do not try to push the bone down by swallowing rice bran, bread or other food if the bone is stuck. Inserting a finger or other object into the throat and trying to remove the bone can also cause injury.
Likewise, do not forcefully hit the neck or back, forcefully feed water or induce vomiting. Such efforts can aggravate the problem when the sharp part of the bone has injured the esophagus.
If the person is unable to speak, cough or breathe, the airway is blocked, emergency help should be called immediately. In such a situation, a trained person should give appropriate choking first aid according to age. But in the case of a bone stuck in the esophagus, the method of applying pressure on the stomach should not be used by itself.
Do not delay in reaching the hospital
If the bone remains stuck in the esophagus for a long time, there is a risk of wound, infection and hole in the esophagus. If there is a hole, chest pain, fever, increased heart rate and other serious complications may appear.
If there is a suspicion that the bone is stuck, you should go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. The doctor finds the location of the bone by neck examination, endoscopy or other tests as needed. If necessary, the bone is removed through endoscopy or surgery.
What to do to prevent the bone from getting stuck?
- Do not eat in a hurry and pay attention to food.
- When eating meat, separate the bones and make small balls and chew well.
- Don't look at mobile phones or focus on other activities while eating meat.
-Ensuring that one does not consume alcohol while eating meat or that one does not lose focus on food due to consumption.
- Senior citizens and people who have difficulty chewing should be given boneless, soft and small pieces of meat.
- If there is a suspicion that a bone is stuck in the neck, do not waste time by adopting home remedies, go to the health institution immediately.
