“Do you swallow under anesthesia?”
I am a 38 year old female. I want to know if you swallow under anesthesia?
4 Answers
No, under general anesthesia, your bulbar (tiny neck muscles) are paralyzed. If you become light under anesthesia and you intubate, this will protect you from aspiration.
Yes, you can swallow under anesthesia if you are not paralyzed.
Whether you swallow or not depends on the type of Anesthesia your are given. Under Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) you will be able to swallow. Under General Anesthesia when you are paralyzed you will not be able to swallow. Under the circumstances where you are not able to swallow, the anesthesiologist protects your airway and prevents anything entering the airway with specialized devices, such as an endotracheal tube that has an inflatable cuff which prevents salivary secretions from going into the your trachea. The Anesthesiologist can also suction your oral cavity and gastrointestinal system to remove excess secretions.
Not if you are under general anesthesia.
