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Aspiration is when something enters your airway or lungs. It can also happen when something goes back into your throat from your stomach. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, risk...
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Doctors define pulmonary aspiration as accidentally inhaling an object or fluid into the airways. It can lead to coughing, difficulty breathing, discomfort, and sometimes choking. In some cases, pneumonia can develop.
Most people occasionally experience pulmonary aspiration when something they are eating or drinking “goes down the wrong way.”
Or, aspiration can be a continual problem that results from an underlying health condition.
The term aspiration can also refer to a medical procedure, during which a doctor uses a suction tube or needle to remove unwanted fluid from part of a person’s body.
Pulmonary aspiration
Pulmonary aspiration is a condition that occurs when a person inhales a foreign substance into their windpipe and lungs. It often happens when something a person is eating or drinking goes down the wrong way. Or, it can occur when someone breathes in: •water, such as when swimming or playing in a pool or river •saliva •stomach contents, including vomit •smoke, fumes, or dust These substances can partially block the airways and irritate the lungs, which can lead to coughing, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms.
The aspiration procedure
Aspiration can also refer to a medical procedure, during which a healthcare professional uses a suction tube or needle to remove harmful fluid from the lungs, joints, abscesses, or other organs or tissues. A doctor may also perform aspiration to take a sample of fluid and test it for signs of infection, cancer cells, or the presence of certain substances.
When a person aspirates something into their airways, it may not cause obvious symptoms.
However, if the substance even partially blocks the windpipe or irritates the lungs, it can lead to:
•coughing
•a feeling that something is stuck in the throat
•painful swallowing
•wheezing
Usually when a person eats or drinks, the food or liquid moves from the mouth into the throat and down through the esophagus, or food pipe, into the stomach.
Pulmonary aspiration occurs when the substance accidentally passes into the windpipe and lungs instead of the esophagus. This typically results from a problem with the swallowing reflex or a lack of tongue control.
Aspiration can also occur while a person is having surgery under anesthesia. The stomach contents can travel up to the mouth, then down through the windpipe and into the lungs.
Anesthesia reduces a person’s level of consciousness and ability to protect their airways, which increases the risk of aspiration. This is why doctors often ask people to fast before having a surgical procedure.
Anesthetists also take precautions to prevent aspiration, such as by protecting the airways with intubation after administering anesthesia.
Some health conditions can also increase a person’s risk of pulmonary aspiration.
Most people occasionally aspirate something into their lungs, and certain issues can increase this risk.
A 2015 cross-sectional study investigated risk factors for aspiration in 105 people who had experienced at least one stroke.
The research indicated that participants with any of the following conditions were seven times more likely to develop aspiration:
•dysphagia, which is the medical term for difficulty swallowing
•an impaired or absent gag reflex
•reduced physical mobility
Aspiration can introduce harmful foreign bodies or substances into the lungs, which can create additional problems.
For example, when a person aspirates something that contains harmful bacteria into the lungs, this can lead to infection and inflammation, which characterize a condition called aspiration pneumonia.
Symptoms of aspiration pneumonia can include:
•a chronic cough
•coughing up blood or green sputum
•a fever
According to Children’s Hospital Colorado, aspiration is a common problem in children, and a parent or caregiver may not notice until the child chokes or develops a chronic cough.
A 2016 study reviewed the medical records of 102 children who underwent endoscopy after having symptoms of aspiration. The researchers found that 49 of these children had aspirated fragments of nuts or seeds.
Symptoms of aspiration in children may not be the same as those in adults and can include:
•a grimacing expression
•weak sucking
•excessive drooling
Aspiration does not always require medical treatment. However, if any of the following symptoms arise, call 911 or go to the emergency room:
•choking or a blocked airway
•noisy breathing
•bluish skin or nails
•chest pain
•wheezing
Treatment for aspiration depends on the severity of a person’s symptoms and the material they inhaled. In some instances, treatment is unnecessary.
If an object, such as a piece of food, is still in the lungs, the doctor may recommend a bronchoscopy.
During this procedure, a healthcare professional will insert a tube with a camera down a person’s throat and into the lungs to remove the foreign material.
For people aspiration pneumonia, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help clear the infection.
When aspiration results from a medical condition, such as a stroke, speech therapy may help to improve a person’s swallowing reflex and lower their risk of aspiration.
Dietary and lifestyle changes can also help treat chronic aspiration. If it fails to respond to these methods, a person may require tube-feeding to meet their nutritional needs.
A person can take steps to reduce their risk of pulmonary aspiration, including:
•taking smaller bites of food and chewing slowly
•avoiding foods that are difficult to chew, such as fatty cuts of meat
•refraining from eating or drinking while lying down
•avoiding giving children foods that are easy to choke on, such as nuts, seeds, hotdogs, and grapes
•attending speech or occupational therapy to improve swallowing techniques
Aspiration is when a person inhales a foreign substance into their lungs or airways. It can be a condition or a medical procedure. Learn about the types, causes, symptoms, complications, and treatment options for aspiration.
Aspirate means to withdraw fluid by negative pressure, or suction, or to inhale foreign material into the respiratory tract. Learn the different meanings and uses of aspirate in medicine, lab, orthopaedics, and respiratory fields.
Mar 31, 2023 · Aspiration is inhaling something into your airway, usually food, saliva, or stomach contents. It can cause coughing, wheezing, or pneumonia. Learn about the risk factors, prevention, and complications of aspiration.
- James Roland
Nov 23, 2020 · Aspiration is the use of suction to remove fluid or other tissues from the body to test them for diseases and disorders. Learn about the common types of aspiration, such as abdominal tap, amniocentesis, and lumbar puncture, and how they are performed and why they are done.
- Contributor
Jun 23, 2024 · Aspiration can mean the accidental inhalation of a foreign substance into the lungs or the suctioning of a fluid out of the body. Learn about the causes, complications, and treatments of airway aspiration and the uses of medical aspiration for diagnosis and treatment.
Oct 20, 2022 · Aspiration can mean breathing in a foreign object or a medical procedure that removes something from the body. Learn about the types, causes, and complications of aspiration.
