What Happens When Food Gets into the Lungs?

So what happens when food gets into the lungs? Does the food disappear there on its own or does it have to be retrieved? To a pulmonologist In the content we prepared in consultation with A.Ş., we discussed whether food remains in the lungs and what situations may occur if it does.

Although adults who laugh while eating and the food gets into the respiratory tract can overcome this situation by coughing, this situation is especially bad for children and people with some diseases. It’s not that simple.

While you learn how food is drawn into the lungs and what causes it, you can also examine its symptoms and treatment. Remember, we never know what will happen to us and when. Especially considering that we eat at regular intervals every day. The possibility of aspiration is quite possible.

What is the journey of food after the mouth?

After food is swallowed, it first goes from the mouth to the throat and then to the stomach through the esophagus. This journey of food takes place with the movement of the muscles in the places it passes. However, in some cases, the direction of the food changes and instead of passing from the esophagus to the stomach, it goes towards the respiratory tract through the vocal cords. In this situation “aspiration” in medicine It is called.

Substances that escape into the respiratory tract after swallowing food may descend into the lungs and cause serious complications.

If you are healthy, your immune system is strong and you do not have some swallowing disorders, you will not experience any complications due to this event. can cough up food or you can send it to your stomach. However, aspiration can sometimes be life-threatening and an emergency it may become.

Who does aspiration usually happen to?

Food getting into the lungs, It is a condition more common in children. According to United States data, 80% of aspiration cases occur in children under the age of 15. The most common age range under the age of 15 is 0-3. Cause of death of babies under 1 year of age Among them, aspiration takes the first place. In Turkey, aspiration is the second cause of death in babies.

The main reasons why these cases peak in children between the ages of 1 and 2 are; Lack of ability to move on their own, to recognize the environment and objects putting everything they hold in their hands into their mouths, They do not have full control of their movement and sensory systems, they do not have their rearmost teeth, or They cannot chew completely.

Foods that cause aspiration in children in Western countries are: peanut income. in Southeast Asia and China bone fragments; in Greece, Egypt and Turkey pumpkin seeds with sunflower seeds It is the first food that enters the lungs.

Its incidence in adults is around 0.66 per 100 thousand. Causes of foreign body aspiration: alcohol and drug use, psychiatric disorders, drugs that suppress the nervous system, muscle and nerve diseases neurological deficit countable.

Tracheostomy or voice prosthesis Users are also likely to leak food into their lungs. Let’s add an interesting piece of information to this situation in adults. Besides food, the main causes of aspiration are: hijab pin takes place.

If you have difficulty swallowing or have a feeling of discomfort in your throat, you may have experienced aspiration.

There are some symptoms of aspiration. While eating suffocation It is already one of the main symptoms that reveal itself. Strong cough, difficulty swallowing, stress while eating, weight loss and lung inflammation It is a sign of aspiration. Excessive saliva accumulation, heartburn, feeling of discomfort in the chest, Difficulty in chewing is also a symptom of this condition.

One of the serious symptoms of aspiration is pneumonia.

Inflammation may occur due to the lungs reacting to foreign substances or due to infection. Pneumonia may also develop. Especially asthma and emphysema Those who are sick have a higher risk of contracting pneumonia. The immune system is weak, the elderly and cigarette People who smoke are also more susceptible to aspiration pneumonia.

In an article published by the journal Critical Care Medicine in 2011, aspiration in the intensive care unit It is stated that it is one of the main causes of pneumonia.

What should be done if food gets into the lungs?

It is very important to notice the situation immediately or to consult a physician if the symptoms increase. Since food remaining in the lungs can cause a number of problems such as infection, necessary methods must be followed to remove it. To make a diagnosis, after examining the patient, x-ray or CT can be withdrawn. However, even if the chest x-ray is normal, if suspicion persists due to symptoms bronchoscopy makes.

Bronchoscopy, which is a method of inserting a thin tube with a camera into the throat, is also used to remove escaped food. with bronchoscopy first foreign body removal It was built in 1897. It still maintains its influence today.

Sputum tests, barium swallow test and endoscopy and swallowing test are among the methods used in the diagnosis and treatment of aspiration.

Even if aspiration pneumonia has occurred, medication can be used to treat inflammation, in some cases hospitalization takes place.

It is important to be careful while eating as it may lead to serious complications. Eating small bites, You should avoid laughing or talking while chewing. Especially for children under 4 years old hard foods such as nuts These foods should only be crushed and added to another food. Not running and playing with food and feeding in an upright position Issues that need to be taken into consideration in children.