Key takeaways

  • A fish bone stuck in the throat may cause symptoms such as sharp pain, a tingling or prickling sensation, or coughing.
  • Certain home remedies may be able to dislodge the fish bone, including consuming some olive oil or dipping some bread in water and swallowing it.
  • If the bone doesn’t come unstuck, a doctor can remove it. Symptoms like difficulty breathing, severe pain, or an inability to swallow require emergency medical care.

If a fish bone gets stuck in your throat, it can be painful and worrying. However, this is very common, and there are some tips and tricks for getting fish bones unstuck.

Fish bones are tiny and may be easily missed while preparing fish or when chewing. They have sharp edges and odd shapes that make them more likely than some other foods to get stuck in the throat.

If you have a fish bone stuck in your throat, you’ll probably feel it. You may also experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Some fish have more intricate skeletal systems than others. This can make them more difficult to debone completely.

Generally, fish that is served whole is the riskiest, but even fillets may have missed bones. A few examples of fish that can be difficult to debone entirely include:

  • shad
  • pike
  • carp
  • trout
  • salmon

Certain home remedies may help dislodge a fish bone stuck in your throat. Use caution when trying any home remedies, and have a glass of water on hand.

Marshmallows

Chew a marshmallow just enough to soften it, then swallow it in one big gulp. The sticky, sugary substance can grab onto the bone and help carry it down into your stomach.

Olive oil

Olive oil is a natural lubricant. If you have a fish bone stuck in your throat, try swallowing 1 or 2 tablespoons of straight olive oil. It should coat the lining of your throat and the bone itself, making it easier for you to swallow it down or cough it up.

Coughing

Many fish bones get stuck right at the back of the throat, around the tonsils. A few forceful coughs may be enough to shake it loose.

Bananas

Some people find that bananas, like marshmallows, grab hold of fish bones and pull them down into the stomach.

Take a large bite of a banana and hold it in your mouth for at least one minute. This will give it a chance to soak up some saliva. After that, swallow it in one big gulp.

Bread and water

Bread dipped in water is a classic trick for getting stuck food out of your throat.

Soak a piece of bread in water for about a minute, then take a large bite and swallow it whole. This method puts weight on the fish bone and pushes it downward.

Bread and peanut butter

Bread covered in peanut butter may also grab the fish bone and push it down into the stomach.

Take a large bite of bread and peanut butter and let it collect moisture in your mouth before swallowing it in one big gulp. Be sure to have plenty of water nearby.

Carbonated beverages

Drinking soda and other carbonated beverages is a common remedy to help with food stuck in the throat. These beverages may help expand the esophagus and relax the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle at the lower end of the esophagus that relaxes to allow food to pass into the stomach.

Though the evidence that carbonated beverages can help unstick food from the throat is limited, it’s generally a safe remedy to try.

Leave it alone

Sometimes, when people go to the hospital believing there’s a fish bone stuck in their throat, there’s actually nothing there. For example, during one 2017 study, researchers found that 80 out of 330 people who reported fish bones stuck in their throats had nothing there.

Fish bones are very sharp and can scratch the back of your throat when you swallow them. Sometimes, you only feel the scratch while the fish bone itself passes into your stomach.

If your breathing is not affected and you don’t have other severe symptoms, you may wish to give it some time. However, confirm your throat is clear before going to sleep. If you’re having trouble breathing, go to the emergency room immediately.

Sometimes, a fish bone might not come out on its own. In that case, contact a doctor as soon as possible.

If the fish bone is stuck in your esophagus or somewhere else in your digestive tract, it can pose a real danger. It can cause a tear in your esophagus, an infection, and, rarely, life threatening complications.

Consult a doctor if your pain is severe or persistent. Get emergency medical help if you experience:

  • chest pain
  • bruising
  • swelling
  • excessive drooling
  • an inability to swallow food, drinks, or saliva
  • trouble breathing

If you’re unable to get a fish bone out yourself, a doctor can usually remove it easily. If they cannot see the fish bone at the back of your throat, they’ll most likely perform an endoscopy.

An endoscope is a long, flexible tube with a small camera on the end. A doctor can use this tool to extract the fish bone.

Certain people may have a higher risk of getting fish bones or other food items stuck in their throats.

It’s very common in people with dentures who have trouble feeling bones when chewing. It can also happen among children, older adults, and people who may be impaired from alcohol consumption or other substances.

You can lower your risk by purchasing fillets rather than whole fish. Although small bones are sometimes found in fillets, there are usually fewer of them.

Always supervise children and other individuals who may have a higher risk of consuming fish bones. Taking small bites and eating slowly can help you avoid getting a fish bone stuck in your throat.

It’s common for fish bones to become stuck in the throat. If you’re not having trouble breathing or experiencing any other severe symptoms, you may be able to wait for it to move into your stomach or try certain home remedies to help it dislodge.

However, if you have severe pain, bleeding, trouble breathing, or other serious symptoms, go to the emergency room. A doctor can remove it.