Aspiration normally occurs when a person inhales a liquid or a solid into the lungs. This can cause a lot of damage and at the worst stage can lead to death. For this reason, aspiration precautions should be looked into. One has to look at their health status. They should find out if they could be at risk of such problems and how to prevent them.
There a number of things that can cause this. An example is conditions that affect the food pipe by causing it to narrow. There are also medical conditions that affect swallowing. An individual could be at risk if he or she has a decreased gag reflex. Using a feeding tube may lead to this. A person with reduced awareness could also have aspiration.
You can easily note someone who is going through such an episode. They could be coughing a lot due to food being positioned in the wrong place. They could be gasping for air and eventually breathe real slowly as the air in their lungs keeps reducing. They could spit out sputum that has a disgusting smell with noticeable particles. There could be color change due to lack of sufficient air.
Despite these symptoms, proper diagnosis can only be done by an expert. Chest cavity x rays can be done to view the lungs. An evaluation study of the swallowing of the patient can be done. This involves taking a look at what the person ingests. This can be beneficial in finding out what food is not good to take in. Surgery to fix the problem, bronchopsy, is an option.
Those who are likely to experiences episodes of aspiration ought to be well taken care of. They should be helped where possible. It is important for them to have good sitting positions while eating. They should eat at a pace they are comfortable with. There must be no distractions as they eat. No food should be inside their mouths when the feeding time is over.
People who use feeding tubes should also be careful to avoid this situation. They should be kept upright as much as possible. This ought to be especially when they are getting continuous feeding. They should not lay flat as this may cause complications. In case they have to lie flat, the pump must be turned off. The tube should be checked for residuals to avoid taking in large feedings.
There are a couple of preventive measures that can go a long way in helping this people. They should not be forced or rushed while eating. They should also eat small amounts at a time. There should be oral care before and after meals to ensure nothing goes to the wrong place. During this process small amounts of water should be used.
Nurses can evaluate the medical records of a patient for medications that impair their ability to swallow. From this they can come up with alternatives that can be used. Foods that are sticky, dry or crumbly ought to be avoided. Families and caregivers ought to have the necessary information so as to help out people during such dire moments.
There a number of things that can cause this. An example is conditions that affect the food pipe by causing it to narrow. There are also medical conditions that affect swallowing. An individual could be at risk if he or she has a decreased gag reflex. Using a feeding tube may lead to this. A person with reduced awareness could also have aspiration.
You can easily note someone who is going through such an episode. They could be coughing a lot due to food being positioned in the wrong place. They could be gasping for air and eventually breathe real slowly as the air in their lungs keeps reducing. They could spit out sputum that has a disgusting smell with noticeable particles. There could be color change due to lack of sufficient air.
Despite these symptoms, proper diagnosis can only be done by an expert. Chest cavity x rays can be done to view the lungs. An evaluation study of the swallowing of the patient can be done. This involves taking a look at what the person ingests. This can be beneficial in finding out what food is not good to take in. Surgery to fix the problem, bronchopsy, is an option.
Those who are likely to experiences episodes of aspiration ought to be well taken care of. They should be helped where possible. It is important for them to have good sitting positions while eating. They should eat at a pace they are comfortable with. There must be no distractions as they eat. No food should be inside their mouths when the feeding time is over.
People who use feeding tubes should also be careful to avoid this situation. They should be kept upright as much as possible. This ought to be especially when they are getting continuous feeding. They should not lay flat as this may cause complications. In case they have to lie flat, the pump must be turned off. The tube should be checked for residuals to avoid taking in large feedings.
There are a couple of preventive measures that can go a long way in helping this people. They should not be forced or rushed while eating. They should also eat small amounts at a time. There should be oral care before and after meals to ensure nothing goes to the wrong place. During this process small amounts of water should be used.
Nurses can evaluate the medical records of a patient for medications that impair their ability to swallow. From this they can come up with alternatives that can be used. Foods that are sticky, dry or crumbly ought to be avoided. Families and caregivers ought to have the necessary information so as to help out people during such dire moments.
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