Fish bone stuck in throat healing on its own after a few days
Disease description:
I am a 25-year-old female. Two nights ago, while eating fish, I accidentally got a fish bone stuck in my throat. It was very painful when swallowing at that time, but later the pain seemed to subside. I haven't gone to the hospital these few days. I would like to ask, if a fish bone gets stuck in the throat, how many days does it take to heal on its own?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lu Cheng
Whether a fish bone stuck in the throat can heal on its own and the required time vary from person to person, but self-healing is generally not recommended. After a fish bone becomes lodged in the throat, it may move with swallowing actions, but its position and orientation are uncertain; it might slip down on its own or become embedded deeper. If the fish bone is small and located superficially, it might be carried into the stomach within several hours to one day along with food, but stomach acid typically cannot fully dissolve the bone, and there remains a risk of puncturing the stomach wall. If the fish bone is large or deeply embedded, spontaneous expulsion is less likely, and it could lead to complications such as infection and abscess formation, causing difficulty swallowing, breathing difficulties, and other problems.
If a fish bone becomes stuck in your throat, seek medical attention promptly and avoid blindly swallowing food or drinking vinegar, as these actions may worsen the injury. Before seeing a doctor, try to minimize swallowing and avoid irritating the throat. Upon arrival at the hospital, the doctor can perform a laryngoscopic examination to determine the fish bone's location and size and then remove it using specialized instruments. If symptoms of infection such as throat redness, increased pain, or fever have already developed, timely medical treatment is necessary to prevent delaying care.
