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I Am Asking A Question For A Friend Of Mine

Posted on Sun, 5 Jan 2020

Question: I am asking a question for a friend of mine who lives in some kind of assisted living. My friend has a real problem with constant drainage of mucus and spitting. He spits every few minutes and tells me that he feels like he's either dying or spitting his brains out. As we talk, he seems sharp enough. He told me that this spitting problem began about 2 years ago. Since then, if he swallows his spit, he feels upset in his stomach. I am trying to help my friend. One of the doctors suggested that my friend might have a psychological problem, and my friend and I acknowledge that there may be some truth to that, but I still believe that the mucus and spitting problem is an unaddressed PHYSICAL need, from which he desires relief. I would be most grateful for someone else who might have an idea to bring up a possible cause that could be investigated. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Dr. (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Consult with gastroenterologist...

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I have gone through your query and here is my advice.

As per your history, I think it does not look much serious. It may be due to acid reflux and spitting may be his obsessive habit.

I want to assure your friend that swallowed saliva does not cause any stomach upset. So no need to spit and there can be several causes for stomach upset which should get evaluated.

For further assessment I would suggest you to consult with gastroenterologist. He may procure upper GI endoscopy, ultrasound /computed tomography abdomen as per evaluation.

Further treatment mainly depends upon the underlying condition. Avoid hot and spicy foods. Avoid smoking and alcohol if you have it.

Hope I have answered your query...
Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj