How to swallow a pill: Steps and tips to make it easier Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe How to swallow a pill step-by-stepMedically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — By Zawn Villines on August 29, 2022People can struggle swallowing pills for many reasons. Children may not have learned this skill yet, and some adults may struggle with large or oddly-shaped pills. However, there are ways to swallow pills easier. There are a number of different approaches for swallowing a pill, but a person may need to experiment and try different strategies until they find something that works best for them. Read on for step-by-step instructions for how to swallow a pill, as well as tips for making it easier. How to swallow a pill with water Share on PinterestPixelsEffect/Getty ImagesTo swallow a pill with water:Place the pill on the tongue, near the back of the throat.Take a large sip of water.Leaning forward slightly, swallow the water and pill together. Drink another sip of water to encourage the pill to go down. Sitting or standing still while doing this, and having no distractions, may help. How to dry swallow a pill Dry swallowing pills can be difficult and uncomfortable. If a doctor or medication label advises people to swallow pills with water, try to find something to drink before taking it. In situations where a person must take a pill immediately and they cannot find a drink, they can try dry swallowing. To do this, wait until the mouth fills with saliva, then place the pill on the tongue and swallow with the saliva. How to teach a child to swallow a pill Swallowing pills can be challenging for children. Pills can seem very large, and the idea of swallowing whole pills may feel intimidating to them. Parents and caregivers can make it easier by proactively teaching children how to swallow pills. Try:Practicing: Before the need to take medication arises, try getting the child to practice swallowing a small, safe food, such as a piece of bread. This allows them to practice the skill in a low-pressure situation.Setting a time limit: Practice for a few minutes at a time, then stop. This prevents the practice from feeling like work and can help build confidence with each new practice session.Giving a reward: Give a small reward, such as stickers, each time the child practices. During each practice, caregivers should:Ask the child to sit upright in a chair and give them a glass of water.Start with a tiny item, such as a crumb of bread. Have the child position the crumb on their tongue, then swallow with water.Practice with the crumb several times. Once the child seems comfortable, move to something slightly bigger, such as a very small piece of soft candy.Work upward to a food that is the size of a pill they might need to take in the future, such as a small hard candy. If the child panics or gags, slow down and return to an earlier step in the process. When it is time to take a pill, caregivers can repeat these steps but with the medication instead. Always make sure that a medication is safe for the child’s age before giving it to them. Do not leave the child unsupervised with something they could choke on. Tips to swallow pills more easily For children and adults, who struggle swallowing pills, the following interventions may help. Pill swallowing devices A number of products and devices may make swallowing pills easier, such as:Lubricating gels: These lubricate the pill to help make it go down easier. This can help people with dysphagia and dry throats. Talk with a doctor before applying any substance to a pill. Pill coating devices: These coat pills with a flavored coating that helps the pill go down more easily. They can also make the pill taste better, making this option ideal for children. Swallowing straws: These devices make it easier to swallow a pill with water or another liquid. A person simply places the pill in the straw, then drinks the liquid through it. Pill-swallowing cups: These devices require a person to place the pill inside of a cup or mouthpiece. A person then drinks the liquid in the cup, and the pill follows with the flow of the liquid. Posture change Changing positions can make swallowing pills easier. Some people with pill swallowing difficulties find that tucking the chin while swallowing makes it easier to swallow a pill. Others prefer leaning their head slightly forward. Psychological interventions For some people, trauma, anxiety, or sensory issues make it difficult to swallow a pill. In this scenario, the emotional distress a person feels may make it hard to swallow, even if they try. People may benefit from speaking with a therapist if anxiety or a choking phobia is making it difficult for them to swallow important medications. Physical or occupational therapy Physical or occupational therapy may help people with dysphagia, children with developmental delays, and others with physical difficulties swallowing pills. A doctor can usually make a referral. Alternative medications Sometimes a pill is too large for a person to swallow, or they are simply unable to swallow any pill. When this happens, ask a doctor about an alternative. Depending on the drug, a doctor may recommend: using a smaller or coated pillswitching to a liquid medicationusing a different medication, or no medication at all What not to do Some techniques for swallowing pills are unhelpful or unsafe. Avoid:Throwing pills into the mouth: This can cause choking if the pill slips down the throat.Tilting the head back: This narrows the esophagus, making it harder to swallow a pill.Crushing or dissolving pills: Doing this may change the way some medications work. Some may absorb faster, causing side effects. Others may irritate the esophagus or stomach lining. If a person has never crushed or dissolved a medication before, and the label does not advise a person to do this, they should ask a doctor if it is safe.Forcing medication: If a person seems unable to take a pill, do not force them. This could cause choking. It may also increase their fear surrounding pill swallowing. Causes of difficulty swallowing pills Swallowing pills is a skill a person must learn. As a result, children can experience some difficulties the first time they try taking a pill. Adults who never received help learning to swallow pills may also be unfamiliar with proper technique, making it more difficult. Other potential causes for difficulties swallowing pills include:Anxiety: If a person is afraid of taking pills or of choking, they may find swallowing tablets very difficult. Anxiety can reduce saliva production and cause muscle tension, making it harder to swallow a pill. It may also activate a person’s gag reflex, pushing the pill to the front of their mouth.Conditions of the mouth or throat: If a person has a medical condition that affects their mouth or throat, this may make pill swallowing more difficult or painful.Dysphagia: This refers to a person’s impaired ability to swallow. It can occur on its own, or as a consequence of another condition, such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia. When to seek help If a person consistently has problems swallowing pills and is not sure why, they should speak with a doctor. They should also speak with a doctor promptly if they:have symptoms of dysphagiahave difficulty taking important medications regularly or on timehave a child who cannot or will not take a necessary medication People can also consider speaking with a doctor or therapist if swallowing pills causes significant anxiety. Dial 911 or the number of the nearest emergency department if a person is choking. The symptoms of choking include:coughingwheezinggaggingclutching at the throatan inability to speak or breathe Summary Swallowing pills can be challenging, especially if a person has never taken one before. Tilting the head forward slightly, drinking plenty of water, and trying to relax may help. If possible, it can be helpful to practice in a low pressure setting with candy or bread crumbs. This may help children learn to swallow pills. If a person struggles with swallowing pills, medical support can help — either by offering additional tips or assistance, or by providing a more manageable alternative. People who have difficulty swallowing for no clear reason should speak with a doctor, especially if they did not have trouble with this in the past. Last medically reviewed on August 29, 2022Pediatrics / Children's HealthPharmacy / PharmacistDrugs 4 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Forough, A. S., et al. (2018). A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6065591/Problems swallowing pills. (2020). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/problems-swallowing-pills/Radhakrishnan, C., et al. (2021). A difficult pill to swallow: An investigation of the factors associated with medication swallowing difficulties. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7810703/Younghans, J. (2022). How to help kids swallow pills in 7 easy steps.https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/childrens-health/how-to-help-kids-swallow-pills-7-easy-stepsFEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Lauren Castiello, MS, AGNP-C — By Zawn Villines on August 29, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? New clues arise Related CoverageWhat to do when a pill gets stuck in the throatMedically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C If a pill is stuck in the throat, there are some steps to ensure that the pill dislodges safely. 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