What To Do If You Can’t Swallow Tablets

People find it difficult to swallow tablets even as they grow older. This stems from their pill anxiety growing or from a phobia of choking. People suffering from the condition avoid consuming solid tablets because they fear that they might choke on them. Other more common causes of being unable to swallow tablets include the bitter taste and previous unpleasant experiences with medications.

But it’s not the end of the world if you can’t swallow a tablet. There are alternatives to taking pills and ways in which you can take them without it feeling unpleasant. Let’s learn more about them here.

Drink Medicine Syrups

If you can’t ingest tablets, you need to ask your doctor or the pharmacist whether the medicine is available in syrup form. Often, pharmaceutical companies produce medicines in both solid and liquid form. This is mainly for infants and kids who cannot swallow pills or older people who may find it difficult to swallow.

If the pill you’re prescribed is available in syrup form, you can drink that instead of swallowing the tablet. Syrups are also generally sweeter than tablets to consume and don’t leave as strong of a bitter aftertaste.

Bury It in Food

If your medicine is not available in syrup form to consume, you have no choice but to swallow the pill. A highly recommended way to do this is by burying the tablet in food. Putting the pill in a spoonful of apple sauce, yogurt or pudding can do wonders. The goal is to pick a food with enough volume to carry the pill down with it. The sweet taste of apple sauce or pudding can also mask the bitter taste of the medicine.

Practice with Mints

Before swallowing the actual tablet itself, you can try and get some practice using mints or some small candies. When putting the mint in your mouth, you need to lean forward and have a glass of water ready to drink. Keep your chin up, shoulders straight, and put the mint in your mouth, followed by a medium-sized sip of water. Then tilt your head forward and swallow it. Next, try the same with an actual tablet.

You can ask the doctor to recommend tablets that are easier to swallow. Swallowing tablets are convenient and useful when you might be suffering from headaches or migraines and need instant pain relief.

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