First aid for tongue swallowing: essential steps for survival and correcting misconceptions

The term “swallowing the tongue” is a common medical term, but it's actually a metaphor for a medical emergency known as upper airway obstruction caused by the tongue muscle relaxing and falling back. This condition often occurs when a person loses consciousness completely for various reasons, such as severe sports injuries, traffic accidents, or epileptic seizures, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This requires immediate intervention to save the person's life.

The truth about "swallowing the tongue" and misconceptions

Anatomically, a person cannot actually swallow their tongue because it is attached to the floor of the mouth by a tissue called the lingual frenulum. What happens is that when a person loses consciousness, all the body's muscles relax, including the tongue muscle. Due to gravity (if the person is lying on their back), the tongue falls backward, obstructing the trachea. Therefore, the primary goal of first aid is to reopen the airway.

Correct first aid steps (recovery position)

If you encounter an unconscious person and suspect an airway obstruction, you should follow these steps carefully and calmly:

• Call an ambulance immediately: Don't waste time, and seek professional medical assistance.
• Check for breathing: Make sure the victim is breathing, and gently lift their chin upwards while tilting their head back to open the airway.
• The lateral recovery position is the most important procedure. Sit next to the injured person, extend their arm closest to you upwards, and place the other hand under their opposite cheek to stabilize their head.
• Body positioning: Bend the knee of the leg furthest from you, then gently roll the patient towards you so they are on their side. This position prevents the tongue from falling back and allows any fluids to drain from the mouth.
• Avoid fatal mistakes: Doctors strongly warned against trying to insert fingers, spoons, or any solid objects into the mouth of the injured person in an attempt to “pull out the tongue,” as this could lead to broken teeth, push the tongue further in, or cause the injured person to vomit and choke.

Safe management of epileptic seizures

Epileptic seizures are a major contributing factor to this condition. To manage a patient with epilepsy, the following steps should be taken:

• Stay calm and time the seizure; if it lasts more than 5 minutes, call emergency services immediately.
• Protect the injured person's head by placing a pillow or soft cloth underneath it, and remove any sharp objects or hard furniture from around it.
• Do not try to restrain the victim or restrict their movement during convulsions, and never put anything in their mouth.
• After the seizure ends, place the victim in the recovery position until they fully regain consciousness, and make sure they can breathe and speak before leaving them.

Prevention during exercise

In sports arenas, cases of unconsciousness resulting from strong collisions are common, especially in football and combat sports. To reduce the risk, experts recommend the following:

• Mouthguards are used in contact sports, as they help absorb shocks and reduce the risk of jaw and tongue injuries.
• Adhering to regular medical check-ups to ensure there are no underlying health problems that may lead to fainting during high physical exertion.
• Good first aid training for players and coaches to ensure a quick response in critical moments.