How to Swallow a Pill Easier in 7 Simple Steps

Hard Pill to Swallow? How to Swallow a Pill Easier in 7 Simple Steps

October 28, 2020 by Amy H 1 comments

Reading Time: 4 mins

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Are you having trouble swallowing pills? If you’re not used to taking several medications, then you most likely don’t have much experience taking pills. Different medications come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

You can even find the same medication in several different pill shapes or sizes depending on the manufacturer. When you’re stuck with a pill you can’t swallow, however, you could be putting your health at risk. You’re put on the medication for a reason, so now it’s time to learn how to swallow a pill and keep your health in check!

In this guide below, you’ll learn about seven different ways to overcome your fear of swallowing pills and make the process much simpler. Continue reading to find out more.

1. Place It in Food

Placing your pill in soft foods can help you swallow it whole. Applesauce or Jell-O are two good choices. You should stray away from thick liquid foods, such as pudding, as they can affect how your body absorbs the medication.

You also want to be sure to speak with your doctor before placing the pill in any other type of food. If the medication can be taken with food, then you should be able to swallow it better in a spoonful of one of your favorite treats. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for some good suggestions!

2. Relax Your Mind

Difficulty swallowing pills could stem from the fear of swallowing pills itself. Before you even try to swallow it, you begin to stress yourself out. You feel your throat tightening before you place the pill in your mouth.

This is not a good way to take a pill and can cause a horrible gag reflex. Instead, do your best to relax your mind. Don’t think about swallowing the pill and just do it.

Think about some things that can help ease your mind. If you have a window with a great view of the garden, then try focusing on what you see out the window. Distract your mind and quickly take the pill without overthinking it.

3. Take It With a Carbonated Drink

Pills that aren’t in the gel form might go down more easily with carbonated drinks. Pills that don’t have the gel capsule will dissolve quickly when taking them with a carbonated drink. Soda, ginger ale, or even carbonated water will do the trick.

Place the pill in your mouth and then take a refreshing gulp of your drink and wash it down. It might even dissolve fast enough to where you don’t even feel it anymore. Just be sure to drink quickly to avoid the taste of the dissolved pill in your mouth.

4. Drink and Drink

If possible, taking pills with water is one of the better ways to do it. Although the taste of water might not be strong enough to hide the taste of the pill, if you drink enough of it, you just might swallow the pill without even knowing.

Take a drink of water and then place the pill in your mouth. Then, tilt your head back and continue drinking more water. You can drink out of a water bottle to make it easier.

Keep drinking as if you were chugging the water. Keep chugging until you notice you’ve swallowed the pill.

5. Crush if Allowed

Another way to easily take your medication is to have it crushed up and placed in food. This could be a great trick for you if allowed. Not all pills are able to be crushed and then taken.

Some medications must be taken in their whole form and some might not work as well when taken in certain foods. Do speak with your doctor about the possibility of crushing the pills. Ask for food suggestions to crush the pills into as well.

6. Try Different Positions

When you swallow a pill, what position do you place your head into? There are a few different ways to help the pill go down. Some like to tilt their heads back and swallow.

Others have more luck when they lean their heads forward. When you have water and the pill in your mouth, you can lean your head forward to swallow because it’ll send the pill to the back of your throat.

Some people rather place the pill in their mouths, take a sip of water, and swallow as they normally would. Everyone is different, so try a few different positions out until you find one that works best for you.

7. Ask for the Liquid Form

Your doctor will most likely prescribe you your medication in pill form unless you’re a young child. If you absolutely cannot swallow your medications, then do speak with your doctor about switching the prescription out for the liquid form.

If available, you can then take your medications without the worry of having to swallow a pill. The flavor of your medications most likely isn’t all that great, though, so be prepared to still have a tall glass of water nearby!

If you’re lucky, you might find one that doesn’t taste that bad, or you can ask your pharmacist about flavoring. There are flavorings made specifically for liquid medications to help them taste better.