It does happen that you choke. And by no means every time does a piece of food or liquid actually get into the trachea. If it does happen, it is important to react quickly. FITBOOK explains how to recognize a suspicious case and how to act if necessary.
We all know the feeling of having something “down the wrong path”. In most cases, however, this is only an irritation in the corresponding region – after all, the esophagus and trachea are very close together. As a rule, those affected manage to remove swallowed food or liquid from the danger zone by coughing hastily. What if a foreign body got into the trachea?
Foreign bodies in the trachea – what can happen?
Doctors speak of foreign body aspiration when someone accidentally inhales an object. It is mostly food.
There is a risk of permanent damage to the lungs
Such a case does not always have serious consequences. Sometimes inhaled foreign bodies are very small and/or get into parts of the lungs where they cause little or little damage. This is explained by Prof. Dieter Köhler, former President of the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP), in «Lung Doctors on the Net».
«However, if a foreign body remains in the lungs for a long time, it can cause severe inflammatory reactions,» warns the expert. «Then there can be repeated pneumonia or permanent damage to the lungs.»
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Complaints resemble “real” lung diseases
Aspiration of a foreign body usually leads to shortness of breath. But where exactly does this come from – i.e. through swallowing or rather from an asthma attack? Those affected and those around them cannot always tell the difference. According to Prof. Köhler, the way the symptoms present themselves depends not least on the area in the respiratory tract where the object is located.
who are particularly at risk
In addition to children, who often swallow something or accidentally inhale foreign objects, adults under the influence of alcohol or narcotics are also particularly at risk. Especially when their memory is impaired in addition to their motor skills. In this case, they may «not remember the event when they inhaled a foreign body,» warns Prof. Köhler. This may delay the start of appropriate therapy.
Act quickly if there is a foreign body in the trachea
How urgently this must be done depends on the patient’s symptoms. In any case, according to «Pulmonologists on the Net», it can be assumed that removal of the foreign body from the trachea or airways is «almost always necessary».
Mostly minimally invasive treatment
Foreign bodies in the trachea can often be localized and removed at the same time by bronchoscopy (lung endoscopy). The surgeon inserts an endoscope through the patient’s mouth or nose and advances it into the lungs, where they can suction out the object.
Contact an expert immediately
Ultimately, the type of treatment depends on where within the trachea the foreign body is located, as well as the type of object. In any case, you should present your complaints to a lung specialist as soon as possible, who you can reach via the emergency room if necessary.
Here we explain how you should behave if you witness a possible attack of suffocation!
You don’t need to be afraid. According to Prof. Köhler, «serious complications or after-effects of an aspiration» are absolutely improbable. However, take the situation seriously and try not to waste time.