I hear when you have a seizure or convulsion or pass out or something to put the person face down or sitting down so they dont choke on their own tongue (I might have heard wrong), either way, people do choke on their tongues, how is this possible??? How does the tongue go back? What does it take to choke on your own tongue and does sleeping with your face towards the ceiling put you at any risk?
2006-09-29 21:34:53 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
Very simple my friend! The tounge is a muscle, it relazes and then it gets swallowed, there for it chokes you!
2006-09-29 21:37:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
It used to be that when someone had a seizure that medical advice was to put something in between the teeth so the person wouldn't BITE his tongue severely. That was changed a long time ago to let the person alone on the floor but to keep them away from things that might be dangerous.
It is a good idea to place someone who has passed out from drinking alcohol on their side. This will help them not aspirate their vomit if they throw up while unconscious. This will also help them to not be asphyxiated if their tongue blocks their airway. A person who is unconscious from drinking too much alcohol, should never be left alone. You might have positioned them on their side, but they can roll onto their back again.
When you are just sleeping, you will not die if your tongue blocks your airway. Not being able to breathe will soon wake you up! There is a medical condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea, where the persons tongue frequently blocks the airway, never allowing the person to sleep deeply.
2006-09-29 22:13:43 · answer #2 · answered by Smartassawhip 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rear of the tongue can fall back into the pharynx and cut off the passage of air causing asphyxiation. The root of the the tongue is connected to the hyoid bone. It's also connected to the epiglottis, soft palate and pharynx. Under certain circumstances it can happen but not when you're sleeping. The tongue is not a muscle, it is an organ but is muscular. Given the right set of conditions, muscles can go lax.
And spoons are NOT placed in a patient's mouth during seizure acitivity!!
2006-09-29 21:48:25 · answer #3 · answered by TweetyBird 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
when a person has the conditions that you mentioned, there is no control over any body part. everything is convulsing, including the tongue. there are teeth in there that are-able to bite off sections of the tongue. usually a spoon is used to hold the tongue away from the teeth.
2006-09-29 21:42:40 · answer #4 · answered by david l 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The tongue os just a muscle - it usually just flops around in there causing no problem, but when you are not concious it can fall backwards blocking the airway.
2006-09-29 21:44:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
usually tongue swallowing is part of a seizure...it's involuntary
2006-09-29 21:39:59 · answer #6 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is impossible to choke on your tongue!!!!
2006-09-29 21:37:50 · answer #7 · answered by Mommadog 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋