The simple act of swallowing medications can be a real problem for many of us.
Here are two tips to try and make pill or capsule swallowing a little easier.
They are based on the results of a study of 151 adults ranging in age from 18 to 85 who were asked to swallow 16 differently shaped placebo tablets and capsules (including a ‘very large tablet’).
Here are the two recommended methods.
Method 1: The Pop-Bottle (for tablets).
- Fill a flexible plastic water bottle with water.
- Place the tablet on your tongue and close your lips tightly around the opening of the bottle.
- Now drink from the bottle, keeping contact between the bottle and your lips… using a swift sucking motion.
- No air should be allowed to enter the bottle, rather it should collapse inwards as the you suck and swallow.
Method 2: The Forward Lean (for capsules).
- Start in an upright position.
- Place the capsule on your tongue.
- Take a medium sip of water, but not to swallow it.
- Next, bend your head forwards by tilting your chin towards your chest.
- Now swallow the capsule with your head bent forward.
These two methods were found to lead to a significant increase in ease of ingestion and a higher rate of successful swallow on the fist try, as well as fewer reports of “unpleasant feelings in the throat” and less instances of pills ‘getting stuck’.
Reference:
Two Techniques to Make Swallowing Pills Easier Available from: http://annfammed.org/content/12/6/550.full