Licensed from
ADAM

Foreign Body, Swallowed

Basics

Multimedia

Health Search

Symptoms Search

Explore other causes of

Drug Search

Explore and compare medications

Definition

If you breathe a foreign object into the respiratory tract, it may become stuck and cause breathing or airway problems, as well as inflammation and infection.

If swallowed, a foreign object may become stuck along the gastrointestinal (GI)tract, which can lead to infection or bleeding.

See also: Choking

Symptoms

However, in some cases, only minor symptoms are seen at first, and the object may be forgotten until later symptoms (inflammation, infection) develop.

Toptop

Related Articles

Cough
Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. However, excessive coughing may mean you have an underlying disease or disorder. Some coughs are dry, while others are considered productive. A productive cough is one that brings...  More »

Choking
Choking is when someone can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe.  More »

Wheezing
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound during breathing. It occurs when air flows through narrowed breathing tubes.  More »

Toptop

Follow Yahoo! Health on and become a fan on

Follow @YahooHealth on
Related Health News

Can infants' wheezing be prevented?