How to Safely Dissolve and Remove Hairs Stuck in the Throat

Understanding Hairs in the Throat

Finding a hair in your throat can be an unpleasant and alarming experience. Often, a stray hair finds its way into the back of the mouth and throat accidentally while brushing or styling. Unfortunately, the feeling of a hair stuck in the throat can cause gagging, coughing, and discomfort.

Hairs can get lodged in several areas of the throat, including the tonsils, the base of the tongue, and the epiglottis. The tonsils contain many small crevices where a hair can become trapped. The base of the tongue also has a rough surface that allows a hair to cling. Additionally, the epiglottis, which is a flap that closes off the trachea during swallowing, is another place where hairs become stuck.

Having a foreign object like a hair stuck in the throat triggers the gag reflex. This reflex protects the airway by preventing anything other than food or liquid from entering. The muscles in the throat constrict around the hair, trying to dislodge it through coughing or gagging. This is the body's natural reaction, but it's unpleasant.

Risks of Hairs Stuck in the Throat

While having a hair in the throat is very uncomfortable, it's not usually dangerous. However, there are some risks to be aware of:

• Choking - A hair could partially block the airway, making it hard to breathe.
• Infection - Bacteria on the hair could lead to an infection in the tonsils or throat.
• Swallowing the hair - Attempts to dislodge the hair could result in accidentally swallowing it.
• Damage to the throat - Excessive gagging and coughing could injure the delicate tissues.

In most cases, a hair in the throat will resolve on its own by coughing, gagging, or rinsing with water. But if the sensation persists for more than a day or seems to be lodged deep, see a doctor to remove it.

Methods to Remove a Hair from the Throat

Here are some safe, effective home remedies to dissolve and dislodge a hair stuck in the throat:

Gargle with salt water

One of the easiest methods is gargling with warm salt water. The salt helps loosen thick saliva while the warmth soothes irritation. To do this:

• Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water.
• Take a mouthful and gargle for 30 seconds before spitting out.
• Repeat several times until the hair is dislodged.

Drink water

Taking sips of regular water can also help wash away a hair stuck in the throat. Try drinking several gulps of water to help move the hair and ease it out.

Use throat lozenges

Sucking on medicated throat lozenges can promote saliva production and create turbulence to dislodge the hair. Menthol and benzocaine lozenges can numb the throat and reduce the urge to gag too.

Try gargling with hydrogen peroxide

The bubbling action of hydrogen peroxide can help eject a hair out of the tonsils or rear of the tongue. Dilute a 50/50 solution with water and gargle for 30 seconds before spitting out.

Use manual removal

Using clean tweezers or tongs, you may be able to manually remove a hair stuck in the tonsils if you can see it. Carefully insert the tweezers to grasp the hair and pull it out. This should be done gently to avoid injury.

Try an oral irrigator

A water flosser or oral irrigator can provide a stream of water to flush out a hair in the tonsils or crypts of the tongue. Use the soft tip and low pressure setting to rinse away the hair safely.

Gargle with apple cider vinegar

The acidic apple cider vinegar can help break down mucus and saliva to release a trapped hair. Mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 1 cup warm water. Gargle for 30 seconds before spitting out.

Coughing and throat clearing

While this won't dissolve a hair, coughing forcefully or hawking mucus from the throat can provide enough force to dislodge the hair from the tonsils or rear tongue areas. Take sips of water to promote swallowing too.

When to Seek Medical Care

Most of the time, a hair stuck in the throat will resolve within a day or two using home remedies. However, you should see an ear, nose, and throat specialist if:

• The hair has been stuck for over 2 days
• You experience pain or difficulty swallowing
• Fever develops indicating infection
• Coughing up blood occurs
• Breathing becomes difficult

A doctor can use specialized tools to see into the throat and tonsils to locate and remove a stubborn hair that won't dislodge. They may use tiny forceps, suction devices, or laryngoscopy to find and extract an embedded hair if needed.

When to Go to the Emergency Room

Go to the nearest emergency room right away if:

• You're unable to breathe
• The airway appears blocked
• You start coughing up blood
• Trouble swallowing liquid occurs
• You develop a fever over 101F

These signs could indicate a partial or complete blockage of the airway that requires emergency treatment. Don't delay getting medical help if any of these symptoms develop.

Preventing Hairs Getting Stuck

You can take some simple precautions to avoid getting a hair trapped in your throat:

• Cover your mouth when brushing hair
• Avoid loose hairs around collar or shoulders
• Wear your hair up if it sheds a lot
• Rinse hair after washing and combing
• Check food for stray hairs before eating
• Get hairs trimmed regularly to prevent shedding

When to Remove Tonsils Due to Repeat Issues

For some people, hairs get stuck in the tonsils frequently. This may be a sign tonsil removal or tonsillectomy is warranted. This surgery may be recommended if:

• You've had over 7 tonsil stone or hair removals in 1 year
• Tonsils become chronically inflamed or infected
• Difficulty swallowing occurs due to enlarged tonsils
• Sleep apnea results from large tonsils

A tonsillectomy is usually done as an outpatient procedure and recovery takes 1-2 weeks. Benefits include reduced risk of tonsil stones, infections, and airway obstruction from the tonsils.

When to Remove Hairs by an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor

If a hair remains stuck despite home remedies, visiting an otolaryngologist may be required. An ENT doctor can safely remove hairs using specialized tools and methods.

See an ENT for stuck hairs if:

• The hair has been stuck over 2 days
• You can see the hair but can't remove it
• Signs of infection like fever or swollen lymph nodes occur
• Drinking and gargling don't work
• It hurts to swallow

An ENT can numb the throat and use small forceps, suction devices, and even laryngoscopy to see down the throat and extract embedded hairs. This provides relief and reduces the risk of complications.

In-Office Procedures to Remove Hairs

Common in-office procedures ENTs use include:

• Laryngoscopy - A tiny camera attached to a flexible tube examines the throat.
• Suction - A tiny vacuum tube sucks up the hair.
• Tweezers - Small forceps or clamps grasp the hair.
• Cautery - Heat is applied to singe and dislodge the hair.

Local anesthetic spray or gargle solution is used to numb the area first. This prevents gagging during the procedure. Removal using these methods only takes a few minutes to provide relief from the stuck hair.

When Surgery is Necessary to Remove Hairs

In very rare cases, an operation in the operating room under general anesthesia may be required. This is only needed if:

• The hair is deeply embedded in a tonsil crypt or fold of tissue
• Swelling or infection prevent other removal attempts
• A foreign body reaction has occurred trapping the hair
• The patient is a child unable to cooperate with in-office treatment

The surgery makes it easier for the doctor to open up the areas of the throat and tonsils to locate and extract the stuck hair. It is considered only as a last resort if other less invasive options have failed.

Risks of Throat Surgery for Hair Removal

As with any operation, risks include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Throat pain
• Damage to the tonsils or throat tissues

That's why surgery is reserved only for severely stuck hairs that have caused complications. Most ENTs will try other methods first to avoid unnecessary risks.

When to Seek Therapy for Repeated Issues

Some people experience anxiety or stress over having hairs stuck in their throat. If fear of this happening again disrupts daily life, counseling may help.

Signs therapy could be beneficial include:

• Feeling anxious eating or swallowing
• Avoiding restaurants and social events with food
• Constantly checking the throat for hairs
• Panic attacks when sensations in the throat occur

Seeing a therapist can help identify the root cause of anxiety and teach techniques to reduce fear around this issue. The goal is to improve quality of life and not let concerns over hairs in the throat limit activities.

Overview of Dissolving Hairs in the Throat

Finding a hair trapped in the throat is very common and usually resolves quickly with home remedies. But if problems persist, an ENT doctor can safely remove the hair using specialized tools and methods.

Key points include:

• Try gargling warm salt water, drinking fluids, or coughing to clear the hair initially.
• See a doctor if the hair is stuck over 2 days or causes worrisome symptoms.
• ENTs can numb the throat and use small forceps, suction, or heat cautery to extract hairs.
• Surgery may rarely be needed for severely embedded hairs not removable otherwise.
• Counseling can help if fear of hairs in the throat causes anxiety.

With the right approach, an annoying hair trapped in the throat can be dissolved and removed to provide lasting relief.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.