Elderly people choking while eating is not a trivial matter and may hide multiple health risks

Recently, Grandpa Ye, who had a history of stroke, suddenly lost consciousness due to choking and coughing when eating fermented bean curd and millet porridge, which caused him to have difficulty breathing, cyanosis, and purple lips. His family members called 120 after discovering it. The doctor arrived and rescued him on the spot. He was then admitted to the Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and was successfully discharged after a period of nasogastric feeding. During Grandpa's hospitalization, we asked his family members, and his family members said: "He often coughed a few times when drinking water or eating, and he would be fine after resting for a while. We didn't take it seriously."

In daily life, we often see the elderly choking and coughing while eating. Many people do not take it seriously and often ignore this small action, thinking it is just a small problem. But in fact, choking and coughing while eating is not a trivial matter for the elderly. It may hide many potential health risks. If it is not taken seriously, it may eventually lead to many unexpected adverse consequences.

A nurse from the Department of Neurology at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University instructs elderly patients to swallow slowly and tilt their heads forward when swallowing to prevent food from entering their airways.

Let us learn why we should pay attention to the causes and dangers of choking when eating in the elderly and how to deal with it to avoid major disasters.

1. Causes of choking and coughing

1. Physiological factors: The organs of the elderly gradually degenerate, especially the muscle function of the throat and esophagus weakens, which makes it easy for food to enter the airway when eating, causing choking and coughing.

2. Pathological factors: including anemia, reflux esophagitis, cerebrovascular diseases (such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis), etc. These diseases may affect the swallowing function of the elderly and cause choking and coughing.

3. Bad living habits: such as eating too fast, eating hard food, talking while eating, etc., may increase the risk of choking.

2. The hazards of choking

1. Aspiration pneumonia: When choking, food residues may enter the lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia, which may even be life-threatening in severe cases.

2. Risk of suffocation: If the choking is severe and the food completely blocks the airway, it may cause suffocation. This is a very urgent and dangerous situation. This is the case with Grandpa Ye mentioned above.

3. Psychological pressure: Frequent choking and coughing may cause fear and anxiety in the elderly, affecting their eating experience and quality of life.

3. How to prevent and provide first aid

1. Adjust your diet: Choose soft, easily digestible foods and avoid hard, dry or overly irritating foods. Also, chew slowly when eating and avoid overeating.

2. Pay attention to the posture when eating: The elderly can sit or semi-sitting when eating, keeping their head slightly tilted forward, which helps reduce the risk of food entering the airway.

3. Strengthen oral care: keep your mouth clean, check your teeth and oral health regularly, and avoid choking caused by oral problems.

4. Regular health check-ups: The elderly should undergo regular health check-ups, especially focusing on the health of their swallowing function and nervous system. If any abnormality is found, they should seek medical treatment promptly.

.Learn first aid knowledge: Family members and caregivers should learn and master basic first aid knowledge, such as the Heimlich maneuver, so that they can take timely measures to provide first aid when the elderly choke.

□Lin Haiyan, deputy chief nurse of the Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University