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Suggest Treatment For Severe Coughing Followed By Swallowing Of Tobacco Pouch
Question: I fell asleep last night sitting up on my couch with a "Skoal bandit" in my mouth. I woke up with some saliva running down the back of my throat so I coughed and started to cough about a dozen or so times. After my second cough I realized that I still had the bandit in my cheek. After a few more coughs I noticed that the bandit was gone. I have looked everywhere and I KNOW that I did not swallow it. My fear is that I inhaled the thing down my throat. Is this possible and what should I be concerned about if this did in fact happen?
Brief Answer:
No worries, check around again, swallowing more plausible in this case
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
From your description, it is more plausible that you swallowed it, rather than inhaled it down your lungs. IN case you inhaled down your lungs, this would have been accompanied by more continued and severe coughing , and generally with difficulties to breathe and some side pain.
Swallowing involuntarily is accompanied by episodes of involuntary coughing, which does not last long.
If the cough stopped after, the possibility of swallowing is more possible in this case.
You might still have to carefully check around for you might not have swallowed or inhaled it.
I think you need not bother. In case you swallowed it, it eventually should come out through the stool n 24 to 48 hours with no real danger.
Watch out however for recurrent cough, chest pain and respiratory distress. In this case, you will have to see your doctor for a clinical exam and a chest x ray.
For now, look around, remain calm, be watchful and just the best.
Dr Bain
No worries, check around again, swallowing more plausible in this case
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,
From your description, it is more plausible that you swallowed it, rather than inhaled it down your lungs. IN case you inhaled down your lungs, this would have been accompanied by more continued and severe coughing , and generally with difficulties to breathe and some side pain.
Swallowing involuntarily is accompanied by episodes of involuntary coughing, which does not last long.
If the cough stopped after, the possibility of swallowing is more possible in this case.
You might still have to carefully check around for you might not have swallowed or inhaled it.
I think you need not bother. In case you swallowed it, it eventually should come out through the stool n 24 to 48 hours with no real danger.
Watch out however for recurrent cough, chest pain and respiratory distress. In this case, you will have to see your doctor for a clinical exam and a chest x ray.
For now, look around, remain calm, be watchful and just the best.
Dr Bain
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for the feedback, in the case that I did swallow it, is there a chance that it could be stick in the esophagus or else where and if so what should I look for. In the case which I did inhale it, what would be the dangers or procedure needed to fix this issue? Thanks again for your help and expertise.
Brief Answer:
Almost impossible its in your esophagus, no worries, bronchoscopy does it i
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for your follow up question,
In case you swallowed it, no worries, it would have passed the esophagus already. In case it were in the esophagus, you would have been in pain, choking and having continues and excessive salivation now. If no pain, no salivation and no choking or chest pain, it is not in the esophagus and no worries with that.
In case you inhaled it, which is almost impossible from your clinical state or will be very rare, a chest X ray shall locate it. There are special techniques with pulmonologist who whose specific exams to visualize and remove these foreign bodies (called bronchoscopy). It is a simple procedure, no worries I do not think we are there.
For now, the main possibilities are swallowing or that its somewhere out of the body,. Even in a a rare situation of inhalation (rare, rare), no worries, bronchoscopy does the job.
For now, no worries, be calm look around and check your stool regularly.
Kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
Almost impossible its in your esophagus, no worries, bronchoscopy does it i
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for your follow up question,
In case you swallowed it, no worries, it would have passed the esophagus already. In case it were in the esophagus, you would have been in pain, choking and having continues and excessive salivation now. If no pain, no salivation and no choking or chest pain, it is not in the esophagus and no worries with that.
In case you inhaled it, which is almost impossible from your clinical state or will be very rare, a chest X ray shall locate it. There are special techniques with pulmonologist who whose specific exams to visualize and remove these foreign bodies (called bronchoscopy). It is a simple procedure, no worries I do not think we are there.
For now, the main possibilities are swallowing or that its somewhere out of the body,. Even in a a rare situation of inhalation (rare, rare), no worries, bronchoscopy does the job.
For now, no worries, be calm look around and check your stool regularly.
Kind regards as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ok, great...Thanks again and have a blessed day! I appreciate your time in this matter.
Brief Answer:
Thank you too
Detailed Answer:
Thanks too as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
Thank you too
Detailed Answer:
Thanks too as I wish you the best of health.
Dr Bain
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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