Symptoms of a fishbone stuck in the throat usually include discomfort and the feeling that something is stuck in the throat area; However, in more severe cases, symptoms can also include blood in saliva and difficulty swallowing or breathing, so if it is not possible to solve this problem at home, it is recommended to go to the emergency room.
An easy way to remove a small crest of fish stuck in the throat is to eat a banana, as it is soft and probably will not damage the esophagus during the passage, because, when they pass over the spine, the pieces of banana stick to the fishbone and push it into the stomach, where they will eventually be dissolved by stomach acid.
However, there are also three other simple techniques that can be used, such as:
Coughing is the body’s first defense mechanism against changes in the throat and airways, as the cough pushes the air strong enough to move any foreign body, like a fishbone.
So, for now, it’s important to follow the coughing instinct, as this can help release fishbones from the throat, causing a sense of immediate relief.
This technique works similarly to bananas. You should take a piece of bread and dip it in milk, when it is wet enough, you have to squeeze the bread and make a ball that can be swallowed whole, once swallowed, the bread sticks to the spine and can help push into the stomach.
Other foods that can be ingested to loosen the spine include rice or well-cooked potatoes because, although tender, they can stick to the bone.
Unlike water, olive oil is not easily absorbed and therefore helps moisturize the walls of the throat for longer and can cause natural movements of the esophagus to push the fishbone.
That’s why it’s better to drink some olive oil than water, because it’s more lubricating, if you can’t drink pure olive oil, you should drink a mixture of water with a little olive oil, for example.
It is important to avoid using any type of utensil or even fingers to remove fishbones, especially when not visible, lesions on the lining of the esophagus can eventually cause more discomfort and increase the risk of infection.
Most cases can be treated at home, but it is important to go to the emergency room as long as you cannot remove the fishbone with any of the techniques mentioned above, or if you feel:
As a general rule, your doctor may remove the spine with special tweezers, but in the most difficult cases it may be necessary to perform a small surgery to remove the spine from the fish, in these cases it is usually not necessary to stay hospitalized, as it is a very simple surgical procedure that sometimes does not even involve cuts in the skin.