Swallowing a fish bone is a common occurrence, especially for people who eat a lot of fish. Though fish bones are often small, oddly shaped, and sharp, the bone will usually pass through the digestive tract without any issues. However, some people may end up with a fish bone stuck in their throat.

If this occurs, the lodged bone can cause discomfort and panic, though it is not usually painful. Due to the common nature of this occurrence, there are many established methods that can help dislodge the fish bone from the throat.

Keep reading for more information on swallowing a fish bone and how to remove a bone, and when to see a doctor.

How Do Fish Bones Get Stuck?

So when we talk about getting a fish bone stuck, what exactly do we mean?

Lots of fish are jam-packed with itty-bitty little bones that are incredibly hard to remove. Certain freshwater fish, like trout and salmon, are especially difficult to bone completely. Some chefs may also serve fish whole, with the bones still in.

Needless to say, it can be a bit of a minefield for the diner. If you swallow a bite wrong and don’t notice a stray piece of bone, you might end up with a fish bone stuck in your throat, which can be unpleasant and painful.

What Does A Fish Bone In Your Throat Feel Like?

If you’ve never gotten a fish bone stuck in your throat, it feels a little bit like the sensation of having your throat checked at the doctor. It’s scratchy and uncomfortable, but not necessarily painful.

Usually, a stuck fish bone isn’t immediately dangerous, but might make you feel a little bit panicky, as if you can’t breathe or swallow. Your throat might swell up a bit around the bone, which can add to the tenderness. In some cases, you might bleed a little if you’ve been scratched.

How To Get A Fish Bone Out Of Your Throat?

Your first instinct will be to cough, and you should follow it. Coughing is your body’s first line of defense against all sorts of interlopers, from germs to soda that went down the wrong way.

Oftentimes, coughing hard for a few minutes will blow enough air against the bone to dislodge it. If you’re lucky, you can just cough the bone right back up and let your throat recover.

If that doesn’t work, keep on reading.

Swallow Olive Oil

If you can’t cough the bone away, it’s time to start incorporating added materials that can help coax it free. Olive oil is a signature solution because it’s a great lubricant.

Oil won’t dissolve immediately with your saliva and digestive juices the way water will, so it’s a better option for trying to wash the fish bone down.

The oil will make the bones slick and slippery, and will also help to soften it and weigh it down so that you can swallow the bone away.

Sip Vinegar

You can try sipping a little bit of diluted vinegar to help move the bone along. The jury is still out on this method, but lots of people say that mixing up a solution of vinegar and water gets rid of the fish bone by dissolving it.

Fish bones are usually fairly delicate and fragile, and vinegar is an acid, so the idea is that the vinegar would help hasten the process of the stomach acid to dissolve the bone in your throat. The main drawback to this method is that it might take a little longer.

Dunk Bread In Warm Water

The bread method works a bit like the marshmallow method. Tear off a piece of dry bread and slightly dunk it in warm water or milk.

Immediately ball up the bread and swallow it whole. The hope is that the rough texture of the bread, and the stickiness from the milk or water, will help to snag the bone from wherever it’s lodged and carry it away.

When To Go To The Doctor

If you’ve tried all of these methods and nothing is working, go to a doctor to get the bone removed.

Usually, this can be done very quickly and painlessly, though in extreme cases, minor surgery may be required. In rare cases, injury from a fish bone may be life-threatening.

You should also go to the doctor immediately if there is excessive bleeding (more than a drop), intense pain, a puncture wound, or a blockage in the airway.

Anyone choking on a fish bone or unable to breathe must call 911 and get emergency medical attention.