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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Fish Bone Stuck In The Throat

About a month ago I ate a Tilapia fish and I accidentally swallowed a bone. Now I have trouble swallowing food and even swallowing my own saliva. I ve been to many hospitals and a specialist and most of them claim that I don t have anything that it s all in my mind but I feel that the bone is still in my throat but its attached to skin that s probably why they cannot see it,it keeps bothering me...They ve done X-rays and a CT scan and they say they see something in the CT scan and the X-ray but they said that it can t be possible that its the bone...what do you think I should do and/or what do you might think it is...
Mon, 22 Sep 2014
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ENT Specialist 's  Response
Hi. It seems possible that the fish bone is still stuck in your throat since you are unable to swallow. It may be too thin or tiny for the X ray to pick it up.

If I were your treating physician, I would advise the wait and watch approach here since we are not sure if the bone is still stuck or it has created injury to the throat wall. Both will present exactly in the same manner and the body cannot differentiate injury from foreign body.

If in 24 hours your swallowing improves than it is probably an injury (pain reduces or able to swallow saliva with some discomfort). If the pain worsens and saliva drools because you are unable to swallow at all then that is indicative of a Foreign body and exploration under anesthesia may be required.

If in 24 hours a new site for pain develops or you start to have a fever then it is also suggestive of the bone being stuck.

If any of the features suggestive of a foreign body occur in 24 hours then get yourself admitted in the ER for further management. If you start to improve then allow the throat to heal. You should be fine in a week. There is nothing there that cannot be treated so do not stress yourself out too much either.

Let me know how this turns out.
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Suggest Treatment For Fish Bone Stuck In The Throat

Hi. It seems possible that the fish bone is still stuck in your throat since you are unable to swallow. It may be too thin or tiny for the X ray to pick it up. If I were your treating physician, I would advise the wait and watch approach here since we are not sure if the bone is still stuck or it has created injury to the throat wall. Both will present exactly in the same manner and the body cannot differentiate injury from foreign body. If in 24 hours your swallowing improves than it is probably an injury (pain reduces or able to swallow saliva with some discomfort). If the pain worsens and saliva drools because you are unable to swallow at all then that is indicative of a Foreign body and exploration under anesthesia may be required. If in 24 hours a new site for pain develops or you start to have a fever then it is also suggestive of the bone being stuck. If any of the features suggestive of a foreign body occur in 24 hours then get yourself admitted in the ER for further management. If you start to improve then allow the throat to heal. You should be fine in a week. There is nothing there that cannot be treated so do not stress yourself out too much either. Let me know how this turns out.