digestive problems choking –aspiration aspiration is the medical term for the accidental passage...

Digestive Problems• Choking

– Aspiration• Aspiration is the medical term for the accidental passage of food or liquid into the windpipe.

– Generally underchewed solid food– Genereally caused by talking while simultaneously chewing food– Trachea– Larynx Is the person really choking?– If the person can cough freely, has normal skin color and can speak, he or she is not choking. Encourage them to cough and stay

with them till they are ok.

– It could be a Laryngospasm– Laryngospasm

• e.g. choking on the “juice” of a candy• Evolutionarily candy is a new thing• Our swallowing mechanism can handle a bolus but not a steady trickle of saliva• Some of the saliva gets into vocal cords or even your trachea• Your vocal cords slam shut to prevent the liquid from getting into the lungs• You do not use Heimlich maneuver for this

– If the cough is more like a gasp and the person is turning blue, he or she is probably choking.– If in doubt, ask the choking person whether he or she can talk. If the person can speak, then the windpipe is not completely

blocked and oxygen is reaching the lungs. A person who is choking is unable to communicate except by hand motions. – The universal sign for choking is a hand clutched to the throat, with thumb and fingers extended. – If a person displays this sign, get emergency care but don't leave the person unattended. – OR Perform the Heimlich Maneuver

Copyright 2005 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson LearningCopyright 2005 Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning

http://www.phon.ox.ac.uk/~jcoleman/phonation.htm - Great site for understanding how voice is generated

http://www.phon.ox.ac.uk/~jcoleman/phonation.htm

Heimlich Maneuver

Digestive Problems• Vomiting• Three Stages

– Nausea– Retching or dry heaves– Emesis


Digestive Problems• Vomiting

– Caused by• Injury (e.g. blow to the abdomen or head injury)• Some medications (may be allergic) e.g. chemotherapy• Diseases

– Gastric or intestinal infection– Ear infection– Gastric illnesses caused by alcohol or overating

• Upsetting body’s equilibrium (e.g car sickness, air or sea travel)– Peristalsis is reversed– Generally only stomach contents– If it goes on for long enough sometimes duodenal contents

(green bile)– Fluid loss– Bigger problem with infants since they have more fluid

between their cells and so can lose it faster


Digestive Problems• Vomiting

– Bulimia - self-induced vomiting– Repeated vomiting damages pharynx,

esophagus and salivary glands, erodes teeth

– Most other vomiting is self-limiting– But prolonged vomiting should be

checked out– Hydration is important


Digestive Problems• Diarrhea

– Stools are too water• Either water has not been absorbed by the intestine (food

passed through too quickly)• Or additional water was drawn out of the intestinal lining

– Causes• Food poisoning

– Infectious– Chemical

• Certain sugar alternatives• Medication• Colitis

– Treatment• Mostly fluid replacement• Unless it is a chronic situation (e.g. IBS)


Digestive Problems• Diarrhea

– Irritable bowel syndrome• IBS is a functional bowel disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI)

tract characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years.

• Research suggests most common functional GI problem• More women than men are affected• Defective serotonin signaling may be the cause• Zelnorm restores deficient serotonin signaling by activating

appropriate receptors to increase GI motility in the gut


Digestive Problems• Constipation

– Reverse of Diarrhea– Stools are difficult or painful to expel– Causes

• Dehydration• Lack of physical activity• Lack of fiber in diet• Ignoring signals to defecate• Medication

– Treatment• Increase activity• Increase fiber in diet• Increase water intake• Do not ignore defecation signals• Eating prunes• Adding a little fat to the diet ( increases salt content drawing water from the intestinal

walls.Colonic irrigation is not a cure and could be dangerous

• Hemorrhoids– Caused by stretching of rectal veins– One of the causes is constipation


Digestive Problems• Diverticula

– Diverticulosis•Intestinal wall develops bulges called

diverticula

– Diverticulitis•Inflammation of diverticula


Diverticula in the Colon


Digestive Problems• Belching

– Swallowing air– Sometimes due to serious disease

• Gas– Maybe due to improper absorption– Bacteria break down certain food substances

• Hiccups– Diaphragm normally pulls down when you inhale and

pushes up when you exhale– Sometimes the diaphragm gets irritated and pushes in a

jerky fashion– When your breath gets pushed through your voice box

in this way it creates the funny sound


Digestive Problems• Heartburn = gastroesophageal reflux

– Antacids and acid controllers• Acid in your stomach is needed• Regular use of antacids and acid controllers

not advisable• Check for Helicobacter pylori

– Indigestion• Maybe due to overating • Stomach muscles react strongly causing

reverse peristalsis



Gastroesophageal Reflux

Digestive Problems• Ulcers

– Peptic ulcer– Helicobactor pylorii infection

•Has been associated with stomach cancer

– Use of certain anti-inflammatory drugs

– Disorders that cause excessive acid secretion


Strategies for GI Problems


digestive problems choking –aspiration aspiration is the medical term for the accidental passage...

Documents

choking person

wadsworth group

person unattended

tracheayour vocal cords

intestine food

watereither water

heimlich maneuvercopyright

universal sign