Swallowing glass, whatever its size, can definitely cause damage at some level. The human digestive tract, all the way from our mouth right to our intestine, has a very delicate lining. Sharp and blunt objects can cause damage to this inner lining. If the glass piece you swallowed was tiny, then it should pass through the stool, not requiring surgery. Whereas, if the piece of glass is pretty big, then surgery might be the only option. Whatever the case, you should visit a doctor ASAP to have it checked.
So, if you or your loved one has accidentally swallowed some pieces of glass and you are now worried about how to deal with such a situation, don’t panic. I’ll cover all the details to help you find the best way to handle this situation.
Symptoms showing you swallowed glass
No one intentionally swallows glass. So, there are no particular symptoms to look for.
You may experience drooling, difficulty swallowing, and pain in the chest and neck.
If the glass manages to pass through your throat down to your abdomen, then you’ll feel mild abdomen pain.
Three areas of your esophagus are more likely to get damaged if you accidentally swallowed glass, including:
- The start of your esophagus, right where the mouth ends
- Center of your chest
- Point where your stomach meets the esophagus
If a sharp object like glass finds its way into the intestine, it can tear your intestinal wall, resulting in the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal bowel sounds
- Dark stools followed by blood
Can swallowing a glass splinter cause harm?
When a glass falls, it shatters into several small pieces, which we call splinters.
While cleaning splinters from the floor, if a tiny piece of splinter somehow finds its way into your mouth, things may become slightly complicated.
If the piece is too small and is still in your mouth, the doctor will use some tools to take it out cautiously. If the piece has reached the intestine, an MRI will be carried out, and a flexible scope may be used to bring the piece out.
Why does glass pass through the esophagus?
Our esophagus is soft and small, and its walls are thin and pliable.
If a small object manages to pass through this thin pipe, there is a fat chance it will find its way out through your stool.
Larger glass pieces that may accidentally end up in your mouth will block your esophagus, making it difficult for you to breathe.
What treatment will I get for swallowing glass?
Swallowing glass, whether small or big, isn’t something you can treat at home. Experimenting to do so will only worsen the situation.
Call 911 or head to your nearest ER (emergency room) to get it checked by a doctor who can accurately recommend treatment based on the severity of your situation.
Firstly, the doctor will use an X-ray to determine the position of the object. Denser objects appear quickly on the X-ray.
As an alternate course of action, the doctor will use an endoscope. The endoscope has a camera, light, and equipment that can grab the stuck object from the esophagus.
Two types of endoscopes:
1. Rigid endoscope
Doctors usually use a rigid endoscope to extract objects from the esophagus, as the first layer of the esophagus is rigid.
The rigid layer protects the soft walls of the esophagus. A rigid endoscope used along with general anesthesia is quite helpful in removing objects from the tube.
2. Flexible endoscope
A flexible endoscope is another way of removing foreign objects from the body.
However, dragging objects from the esophagus using a flexible endoscope may cause harm to the delicate inner walls of the esophagus. Moreover, anesthesia is not used with a flexible endoscope.
What should I do if my child swallows glass?
Children, especially toddlers aged 1-3, always crawl around the house, looking for objects to grab (sometimes putting it in their mouths). From small buttons to coins, toddlers will try to eat everything that comes into their contact (especially early on when they’re teething).
As a parent, you must always watch your toddlers, who recently began crawling and are always strolling around the house. Secondly, look for signs indicating that your child has gulped something.
If the airway gets blocked, you will see the following symptoms:
- Choking
- Wheezing
- Extensive coughing
- Breathing difficulty
Considering the object was small and is now sitting in the digestive tract, either it will somehow be excreted out of the body through the child’s stool, or the body will give you the following indications that a foreign object is stuck within the body:
- Vomiting
- Drooling
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Gagging
What happens if you leave the glass piece in the body?
This would not end well. If the glass piece were large enough, leaving that foreign object in your body would eventually cause harm.
It can lead to aspiration pneumonia, which causes symptoms like fever, chest pain, wheezing, and a phlegm-producing cough.
References
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/when-you-swallow-foreign-object-4105009
- https://www.healthline.com/health/aspiration-pneumonia
