# How to swallow pills



## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

Most people take pills the wrong way.

Somehow we have been led to believe that we

* put the pill/s in our mouth,
* take a swig of water,
* TIP our head BACK
* - and swallow.

Well, the tipping back part is what gets people into trouble. Tipping back closes off the throat. Many people still have success getting the pills down, but it still takes some conscious effort.

When we sit at the dinner table and eat, we don't pop food into our mouths, chew, tip our head back- and swallow. No, we chew and are generally looking down at our plate negotiating the next mouthful. We certainly swallow mouthfuls bigger than a pill and have no problem when eating because the throat opens up when we tip our head forward.

When people take a pill, the best move for effective swallowing is to put the pill in the mouth, take a swig and tip the chin down towards the chest. The pill goes right down! Try it! After some mindful practice, a handful of supplements will go right down all at once. I hope that this helps!

http://www.thecompounder.com/catalogpillswallow.php

---------------------------------

I've been doing it all wrong. I also tip my head back and find it difficult to swallow pills. Just made sense. Try it!


----------



## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

I just pretend I'm swallowing a bite of food and I can take several pills at once without water, even enormous, chalky calcium tablets. It's my party trick.


----------



## proximo20 (Nov 25, 2006)

pita said:


> I just pretend I'm swallowing a bite of food and I can take several pills at once without water, even enormous, chalky calcium tablets. It's my party trick.


After all the things have been written here, are you taking calcium tablets? Why do you take them and how do you feel after taking them?


----------



## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Nah, not anymore. I actually don't take any supplements these days. I stopped taking them because they upset my stomach.


----------



## onehandclapping (Jun 15, 2008)

I just tried it, it works! (makes sense too) thanks


----------



## Beggiatoa (Dec 25, 2004)

It does work! I can swallow fistful of pills with greater easy. Cool! Bring 'em on.


----------



## saik (Nov 13, 2008)

Good tip.

I can attest that this works great. I've always had a hard time swallowing pills but once I learned this a couple years ago it has been a breeze.


----------



## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

The tipping back probably helps set the pill in the back of your throat. I had huge problems getting pills down as a kid. If I had to take pills it had to be forced down me. I'd start crying because I'd be trying so hard to swallow it and it would just keep getting spit back out. Now after much practice (5-10 pills a day depending what vitamins I'm taking) it's no problem and I swallow 3 50mg seroquel pills at once. Tipping my head down would definitely not work. My main problem is getting the pill to go to the back of my tongue with the water. My tongue has a tendency to seperate solids and liquids on it's own and keep the solid items in front until they are chewed down. I started out having to physical place the pill on the back of my tongue while trying not to gag with my head tipped back and then pouring in water to swallow with. I learned to keep my tongue relaxed or still so that gravity can do that part for me now but it requires having my head at minimum level. Looking down works with chewed food, not with larger solid objects. Particularly when mixed with a thin liquid. Some people have better luck with thicker things like pudding or yogurt because it feels more like swallowing food and a hard pill is less noticeable.

That was way too long of post just on swallowing pills.


----------

