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Fish Bone in the Throat ?


One common emergency that ENT Surgeons are called upon to see is a fishbone stuck in the throat.
A mishap of this kind is usually followed by an immediate sharp pain in the throat corresponding to the area in which the fishbone is lodged.  There may also be coughing, difficulty in swallowing, foreign body sensation in the throat and sometimes some blood-stained oral secretions.
Realizing that they have swallowed fishbone patients usually resort to many well-tried home remedies. These are
  • Forceful coughing or attempted vomiting
  • Drinking dilute Vinegar with the hope of breaking down the bone
  • Drinking aerated water/ soda
  • Swallowing a large piece of bread soaked in water with the hope that the weight of the bread will dislodge the bone
  • Swallowing a large morsel of rice or eating a banana
  • Self attempts at removal of the bone - these can sometimes be dangerous and lead to serious trauma in the throat
In case home remedies fail kindly visit your nearest ENT Specialist as soon as possible. This is because the continued presence of a solid foreign body in the throat can lead to a secondary infection and sometimes an abscess.
The technical problems with a fishbone stuck in the throat are - 
  1. Pain localisation in the lower part of the throat is not very accurate so you may not be able to help the doctor pinpoint the precise location of the obstruction.
  2. A fishbone is small and sharp and quite often mimics saliva so it is difficult to see.
  3. There is not enough calcium in a fishbone to be picked up on an X-ray - so an X-Ray is usually not successful in showing where a fishbone is stuck- unless it is large or has caused complications like an abscess formation in the surrounding area.
The ENT specialist has various Instruments to visualize as well as remove a fishbone.
The throat is sprayed with a Local Anaesthetic and using angled Endoscopes the throat is evaluated thoroughly and the fishbone is seen and removed with forceps.
There are some points to remember - elderly persons who use dentures, children and intoxicated persons are more at risk in getting a fishbone stuck in the throat.
In case of doubt, it is best to stay with a fillet since these are safer.

If you are looking for an ENT Specialist then please click on the link and get E-consultation in less than an hour. Please book prior APPOINTMENT for a medical checkup from ( 10 Am to 5 Pm; Mon-Sat)Call At +919871150032


Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

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