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What should I do if a small fish bone is stuck in my throat?

Jan 25, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lu Cheng
Introduction
When a small fish bone becomes lodged in the throat, eating should be stopped immediately. The bone should then be removed by gently coughing, using tweezers, medication, or extraction under fiberoptic laryngoscopy, in order to promptly remove the foreign body and reduce irritation to the pharyngeal mucosa. However, to prevent recurrence, it is recommended to chew food thoroughly and eat slowly, avoiding hard or coarse foods. If discomfort persists, prompt medical attention is advised.

Generally speaking, the throat refers to the pharynx. If a small fish bone or splinter becomes lodged in the throat, it can be managed by stopping eating, gently coughing, removing it with tweezers, medication treatment, or removal under a fiberoptic laryngoscope. If discomfort persists, prompt medical attention is recommended. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Stop Eating

If you discover a small fish bone or splinter stuck in your throat, you should stop swallowing as soon as possible. Avoid eating for a short period to prevent the bone or splinter from moving deeper and causing damage to the pharyngeal mucosa.

2. Gently Cough

If the fish bone or splinter is very small and the symptoms are not obvious after it becomes lodged in the throat, you may try coughing gently to expel it. This method uses the principle of impact force to remove the foreign object. However, the coughing should be gentle to avoid irritating the throat by forceful coughing.

3. Removal with Tweezers

If the fish bone or splinter is lodged in a shallow area of the throat, such as the tonsils or lateral pharyngeal wall, and its exact location can be visually identified, under a doctor's guidance, a tongue depressor can be used to lower the tongue, allowing the object to be removed with tweezers.

4. Medication Treatment

If there is significant pain after removing the fish bone or splinter, such as redness and swelling of the throat mucosa, it is recommended to follow medical advice and take medications such as Amoxicillin Capsules, Cefixime Granules, or Cefuroxime Axetil Granules for treatment.

5. Removal under Fiberoptic Laryngoscope

If the fish bone or splinter is lodged above the laryngeal vestibule and cannot be removed using the above methods, and if the discomfort is severe and affects normal swallowing, under medical guidance, the foreign object can be removed using a fiberoptic laryngoscope.

To prevent recurrence, it is important to chew food thoroughly and eat slowly, avoiding overly hard foods. Additionally, the diet should mainly consist of soft and easily digestible foods to reduce irritation to the throat.

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