Home Remedies For Throat Obstruction And Throat Infection

By | October 7, 2009

Sore Throat And Throat Mucus Treatment

A throat obstruction results when a piece of food or any other substance becomes trapped in the throat. This generally occurs when a fish bone or a chicken bone gets lodged in the throat. The back area of the mouth has two openings. One is the esophagus through which food passes and reaches the stomach. The other is the trachea through which air passes in order to reach the lungs. When food is swallowed, a small flap called the epiglottis covers the trachea so that food does not go down the air passage.

If anything accidentally enters the airway, it becomes trapped as the airways start narrowing as they extend downwards. This can cause the trachea to become obstructed, leading to swelling and blockage. There may also be difficulty in breathing and as such it is necessary to treat this condition immediately. This can be a terrifying experience for the person affected by throat obstruction, but he or she must try and regulate normal breathing and stay calm.

Home Remedies For Throat Infection And Throat Pain

The symptoms of a throat obstruction are quite obvious and easy to detect. When something gets lodged in the throat, the individual may start to gag. Breathing becomes labored and high pitched. Vomiting may also occur as an attempt to dislodge the substance. The person may also begin to drool and since breathing is hampered, he or she may turn blue due to lack of oxygen to the brain. Choking occurs when food is eaten too quickly or when food is not chewed properly before swallowing.

If the person who is choking is able to speak, then it could mean that the throat obstruction is partial. In this case, the person must be encouraged to cough until the obstruction is dislodged. Avoid making the person drink anything as this can occupy space that is required for air to pass through. If coughing does not help, then give the person something to eat such as boiled rice or bread. The weight of this will cause the obstruction to become dislodged and move towards the stomach. In case of a chicken bone obstruction, the person may gargle with vinegar as this will soften the bone and make it easier to dislodge.

The Heimlich maneuver is a well known technique for alleviating a throat obstruction. This is done by standing behind the victim and placing your arms around his or her waist. Make a fist with one hand and place it below the breast bone. Then grab the fist with the other hand and make quick upward and inward thrusting movements. This will help the victim to cough and dislodge the obstruction