Ingestion – Food in the trachea – Causes, symptoms & therapy

Ingestion – food in the trachea

Ingestion – food in the trachea is something unpleasant. Eating hastily and carrying food down quickly can mean that it does not end up in the esophagus but accidentally in the windpipe. If this occurs, the body tries to expel the foreign body with a strong urge to cough. But swallowing food can have fatal consequences.

What happens when swallowed?

If food is taken in through the mouth, it is already being prepared there for the subsequent digestion process. It is chopped up, smeared with saliva, and wavy movements of the tongue ensure that it is carried further towards the throat. In the next phase, the swallowing stimulus is triggered. At the same time, the upper and lower airways are closed. In the oral cavity, the breathing air that wants to get through the nose to the lungs and the chopped up food that is on its way to the stomach come together.

If the airways are not closed properly and the food is instead aspirated during inhalation, foreign bodies enter the tracheobronchial system. The body reacts immediately and tries to force it back down the throat by coughing violently . If coughing up is not successful, the aspirated food can partially or completely block the trachea and thus lead to suffocation. Aspiration usually manifests itself as a blue-grey discoloration of the skin . Smaller pieces of food can be deposited through the esophagus in the lungs, where they cause inflammation and sometimes death.

causes

Various causes can lead to the aspiration of food. Some diseases, such as Parkinson’s , limit tongue mobility, increasing the risk of choking on food. People who have had a stroke also point out the risk of developing a swallowing disorder . Other diseases that can make eating dangerous on a daily basis are multiple sclerosis , craniocerebral trauma and tumors of the nervous system.The underlying problem of these diseases related to aspiration is a disruption of normal nerve conduction, which leads to uncoordinated nerve excitation. The interaction of different nerves and the sequence of processes are disturbed and food has the opportunity to penetrate the trachea because the entrance to it is exposed.

diagnosis and course

Aspiration can be diagnosed by the occurrence of coughing, decreased breathing , and wheezing . Pain, shortness of breath, and discoloration of the lips and other regions are other signs. Symptoms and progression depend on the location of the food debris in the trachea or lungs. If the foreign body is not in the lower levels of the trachea, a strong urge to cough can bring it out.

Larger foreign objects, on the other hand, can block the trachea in such a way that death by asphyxiation occurs because the airways are completely blocked. This manifests itself in spasmodic breathing movements, which, however, do not end in oxygen uptake because the airways are not exposed. The lack of oxygen causes certain regions to turn blue. In addition, the affected person is unable to express themselves through words due to the blockage of their airways. A prolonged lack of oxygen usually causes the affected person to faint .

treatment and therapy

If it is not possible to remove the foreign body by coughing, first aid measures should be used. If the affected person can still speak, it often helps to remove the foreign body manually. Triggering nausea can also help here. Water intake should be avoided. If the patient can no longer speak and is therefore unable to cough up, the affected person should bend forward and a second person should apply strong blows to the region between the shoulder blades with the palm of their hand.

If coughing up still does not occur, the Heimlich maneuver can be tried. First responders apply firm pressure to the upper abdomen, attempting to move backwards and upwards. The aim of this method is to increase the pressure in the chest and thus remove the foreign body. However, the Heimlich maneuver is only suitable for absolute emergencies, as it also carries the risk of injuring internal organs. If the affected person is unable to breathe due to a blockage, an emergency doctor must be called in any case.If the patient has stopped breathing, life-saving measures should be taken until the doctor arrives. Doctors can use optical forceps or a bronchoscopy to remove the foreign body from the upper airways or lungs. This is done by inserting a thin tube equipped with a camera and a suction device. Antibiotics are also given to the patient to prevent possible infection .

prevention

Taking enough time to eat can prevent aspiration. Meals should not be taken hastily. Elevating the upper body of people in need of care reduces the risk of aspiration. Small children should not have contact with small objects.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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