Swallow Pills More Easily With The ‘Pop-Bottle’ And ‘Lean-Forward’ Methods

Swallow Pills More Easily With The ‘Pop-Bottle’ And ‘Lean-Forward’ Methods

If you’re one of the many people that have a hard time swallowing pills, these two techniques can make things a lot easier for you.

Photo by Victor

A recent study led by Dr Walter Haefeli from the University of Heidelberg, and published in the journal Annals of Family Medicine, tested different pill-swallowing techniques on over 150 adults. Two methods, the “pop-bottle” and “lean-forward”, were found to be very effective. Nearly 60% found the pop-bottle method substantially improved their ability to swallow large pills, and almost 90% found that the lean-forward method made it much easier. Here’s how to do both:

  • The pop-bottle: Fill a plastic bottle with water, place the tablet on your tongue, and close your lips tightly around the bottle’s opening. Now throw back your head, suck the water from the bottle, and swallow the pill and water without letting any air in. This is more helpful for tablet-like pills.
  • The lean-forward: Place the pill on your tongue, take a small sip of water from a glass, and swallow as you tilt your head down toward your chest. This is better for capsule-like pills.

If you’re having a hard time choking your horse pills down, give these methods a shot.

Two Techniques to Make Swallowing Pills Easier [The Journal Annals of Family Medicine via NPR Health News]


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