If you have the uneasy feeling of having a hair stuck in your throat, there are a few tricks you can try. You can safely swallow a few hairs or eat a mouthful of soft food to loosen the hair. Or address other health issues that can make you feel like something is stuck in your throat. These problems can be related to smoking, belching and allergies, among other things.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Loosening the hair
Step 1. Try to swallow the hair
If you suspect you have one or two hairs stuck in your throat, just try to swallow them. The hair will travel through your digestive tract like food does and your body will excrete them. Your body will not break down the hair because it is made of keratin, a dense protein.
If it feels like a long hair, see if you can pull the hair out of your throat with your (clean) fingers
Step 2. Eat soft foods
You may be able to get the hair out of your throat by swallowing a large amount of food. Choose foods that are soft and kind to your throat. For example, eat a few bites of banana or soft bread.
- You should only try to swallow a bite that fits well in your mouth. If you try to swallow too large a bite, you could choke.
- If you manage to swallow the hair, it will travel through your digestive tract with the food.
Step 3. Contact an ear, nose and throat doctor
If you can't get the hair out of your throat and the feeling bothers you, make an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. If you experience other signs of a sore throat, such as painful swallowing or pus on your tonsils, you should be thoroughly examined.
The specialist may perform tests or have X-rays taken. Make sure you provide a complete medical history and present all your complaints
Method 2 of 2: Addressing other issues
Step 1. Gargle with warm, salt water
You may feel like your hair is stuck in your throat, even though there's really nothing there. Other problems can cause the uncomfortable feeling. To soothe your throat, dissolve some salt in a glass of warm water while stirring. Gargle with the salt water to make your throat feel better.
Research also shows that gargling can prevent or reduce cold symptoms
Step 2. Quit smoking
Toxins and smoke particles can irritate the mucous lining of your throat. This irritation can feel like hair stuck in your throat. Smoke less or not at all to limit throat irritation and smoker's cough.
Step 3. Treat your acid reflux
When you have acid reflux (burping), the acids from your stomach back up into your throat. This acid can irritate your throat, especially if it reaches your vocal cords. When this happens, the acid can make you feel like something is stuck in your throat. Ask your doctor about the best treatments for your belching.
In addition, if you are often hoarse and cough, or you clear your throat often, you may have a type of reflux called laryngeal reflux
Step 4. Take allergy medication
If you're having an allergic reaction to something you've eaten, you may have trouble swallowing, feel like something is stuck in your throat, or your tongue is hairy. Follow your allergy treatment plan or contact your doctor immediately.