Difficulty swallowing pills? Try these two methods.

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).

1. Fill a flexible plastic water bottle with water.
2. Place the tablet on your tongue and close your lips tightly around the opening of the bottle.
3. Now drink from the bottle, keeping contact between the bottle and your lips… using a swift sucking motion.
4. 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).

1. Start in an upright position.
2. Place the capsule on your tongue.
3. Take a medium sip of water, but not to swallow it.
4. Next, bend your head forwards by tilting your chin towards your chest.
5. 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’.

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Reference:

Two Techniques to Make Swallowing Pills Easier Available from: http://annfammed.org/content/12/6/550.full