Have you ever been in such a deep slip and ended up waking coughing? Chances are, you choked on your own saliva. Yes, it is very much possible. Saliva is a clear liquid produced by your salivary glands that play a crucial role in digestion and oral health. This is because it washes away bacteria and food particles. The body on an average produces about 1 to 2 litres of saliva daily, and a lot of it is swallowed unconsciously. However, when saliva does not flow smoothly down the throat, it can lead to choking, which can be uncomfortable.

Here's all that you need to know about what causes it, and how can you prevent it.

How to recognize the symptoms of choking on saliva?

This happens when the muscles that are responsible for swallowing weaken or malfunction due to health issues and the symptoms may include:

• Gagging and coughing without eating or drinking
• Gasping for air
• Inability to breathe or speak
• Waking up coughing or gagging

What are the common reasons? Why does it happen?

Some of the common reasons include:

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid travels back into the esophagus and mouth, irritating the esophagus and increasing saliva production to neutralize the acid. This buildup of saliva can lead to choking.

Other symptoms of acid reflux:

• Heartburn
• Chest pain
• Nausea

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Acid reflux can be diagnosed via endoscopy or X-rays. Treatment includes antacids to reduce stomach acid.

Sleep-related Swallowing Disorders

When you are sleeping, some abnormal swallowing can occur during that time and it may cause saliva to pool in the mouth and flow into the lungs. This is what leads to choking. This condition is often linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which causes breathing to pause during sleep.

What are the treatment options?

CPAP machines to provide continuous airflow

Oral mouth guards to keep the airway open

Lesions or Tumors in the Throat

Growths in the throat, whether benign or cancerous, can narrow the esophagus and impede swallowing.

Symptoms to Watch For:

• Visible lump in the throat
• Hoarseness
• Sore throat

Treatment:

Treatment may involve surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, depending on the nature of the growth.

Dentures That Don't Fit

Dentures can confuse the brain into perceiving them as food and it may trigger excess saliva production and cause choking. The best way to work this out is by consulting a dentist for proper fitting and adjustment of dentures.

Neurological Disorders

Conditions like Parkinson’s disease and ALS can impair the nerves that control swallowing.

Additional Symptoms:

• Muscle weakness or spasms
• Difficulty speaking

Treatment:

Doctors may prescribe medication to reduce saliva production or teach swallowing techniques.

Heavy Alcohol Use

Excessive alcohol consumption can relax throat muscles, allowing saliva to pool and cause choking.

Prevention Tip:

Moderate alcohol intake and sleep with your head elevated.

Talking Excessively

Speaking continuously without pausing to swallow can lead to saliva entering the windpipe.

Prevention:

Take pauses to swallow while talking.

Allergies or Respiratory Problems

Thickened saliva or mucus due to allergies or infections can obstruct the throat, especially during sleep.

Additional Symptoms:

• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Sneezing

Treatment:

Antihistamines, cold medication, or antibiotics may be prescribed, depending on the underlying cause.

How can you prevent choking from saliva?

In case of sleep apnea, sleep with your head elevated or on your side. You can also try and avoid lying flat right after eating and eat smaller meals to prevent acid reflux. It is also important that you sip water throughout the day to clear any saliva buildup. In severe cases, use over-the-counter medicines for allergies or consult a healthcare provider.

When women are in their 40s, their bodies start to change a lot because of the hormones. This is mainly because the estrogen and progesterone levels in the body start to go down. This time is called Perimenopause.

It is when women start to move towards menopause. It can bring a lot of emotional changes. Some of these changes are normal.

Why Do Hormonal Changes Happen After 40?

After 40, women's bodies start to produce estrogen. This means they can have an imbalance.

Women's bodies need hormones like estrogen and progesterone to have periods, strong bones, a good mood, and to stay at a healthy weight. When these hormone levels change, it affects parts of the body. This change can take a year before it stops at menopause.

Common hormonal changes women experience

• Irregular periods

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Mood swings and anxiety

• Weight gain and slower metabolism

• Sleep disturbances

• Skin and hair changes

Symptoms That Should NOT Be Ignored

While some changes are normal, some symptoms need a doctor's help:

• Heavy or prolonged bleeding

• Persistent fatigue

• Severe mood changes

• Sudden weight gain

• Bone pain or weakness

When women are over 40 and their hormones change, they are more likely to have:

• Heart disease
• Osteoporosis
• Thyroid disorders
• Metabolic issues

Estrogen helps keep the heart and bones healthy, so when its levels go down, women are more likely to have these health problems."

How Can Women Manage These Changes?

• Eat a balanced diet

• Exercise regularly

• Manage stress

• Have regular health check-ups

• Sleep well

Women should talk about these changes openly. If they know what is happening and see a doctor early, they can make this time easier.

Hormonal changes after 40 are a part of getting older, but women should not ignore them. Especially if the symptoms are very bad or happen all the time.

If women understand what is happening in their bodies and see a doctor when they need to, they can be healthier and more confident. If women take care of themselves now, they can have a life in the years to come.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved tradipitant to be sold under the brand name Nereus, for the prevention of vomiting induced by motion in adults — a first in the last four decades.

Motion sickness affects an estimated 65 to 78 million Americans—roughly 25 to 30 percent of adults—during everyday travel by car, plane, or boat. For decades, patients have had no meaningful new treatment options.

Tradipitant is an oral neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist that prevents motion-induced vomiting in adults.

It is an oral capsule, often taken 60 minutes before travel to block signals causing nausea.

The drug by Vanda Pharmaceuticals is now commercially available across the US.

"Today marks an important milestone for the tens of millions of Americans who experience motion sickness symptoms during common travel," said Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, M.D, President, CEO, and Chairman of Vanda, in a statement.

How Tradipitant Prevents Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals from the eyes, inner ear, and body while in motion. This sensory mismatch is believed to trigger the release of substance P, which activates NK-1 receptors in the central nervous system and ultimately leads to nausea and vomiting.

Tradipitant works by blocking these receptors, interrupting the vomiting pathway.

"NEREUS is a selective, high-affinity antagonist of human substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors that can block the vomiting center of the brain,” Polymeropoulos said.

Tradipitant was approved by the FDA, following two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials—Motion Syros and Motion Serifos—conducted under real-world conditions on the open sea.

Also read: India Installs US FDA-approved Portable MRI For Bedside Brain Scans At AIIMS Delhi

Both studies demonstrated that tradipitant significantly prevents vomiting compared to placebo, confirming the drug's effectiveness in actual sea travel conditions. It is the first new prescription option for people with a history of motion sickness in over 40 years.

It employs a novel mechanism as a selective, high-affinity antagonist of human substance P/NK-1 receptors. It offers simple dosing with just one or two capsules a day taken approximately an hour before travel.

Is Tradipitant Safe? Are There Any Side-Effects?

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According to Vanda Pharmaceuticals, tradipitant may impair abilities required for driving a motor vehicle or operating heavy machinery.

Combining tradipitant with sedatives or medications that increase the drug's levels may increase this effect. If use together cannot be avoided, your doctor may warn against driving or operating heavy machinery.

The most common side effects associated with tradipitant include drowsiness, headache, and fatigue.

Moreover, strong CYP3A4 inhibitors may increase NEREUS™ levels and the risk of side effects, the company said.

There are limited data on tradipitant's use in pregnant women and children.

Tradipitant is also not recommended in patients with liver problems or severe kidney problems.

Type 2 diabetes was once rare among the young. Now, it is a common diagnosis for Indians in their 20s and 30s. The country currently faces a massive health crisis with 101 million confirmed diabetic patients and 136 million prediabetics. This sudden spike did not happen because human genetics broke down overnight. It happened because the way we live has completely transformed.

Asians (Indians ) already have a " thin- fat " body phenotype, which has a heavy genetic disadvantage. Even when an Indian person appears thin, they typically carry a much higher body fat percentage than a European person of the exact same weight. This fat builds up dangerously as visceral fat around the internal organs. Because of this, Indians develop severe insulin resistance at a much lower Body Mass Index (BMI).

Secondly, we tend to have faster beta-cell exhaustion. The pancreas simply stops producing enough insulin earlier in life.

Thirdly, if you have a positive family history, then the risk is higher and happens at an early age as compared to the previous generation.

But definitely it is not just genetics. Our DNA remains exactly the same as it was a century ago. Still, the age of onset is dropping at an alarming rate. Data from the massive ICMR-INDIAB study reveals that the real "take-off" point for diabetes now sits squarely in the 25 to 34 age bracket. Out of all the people under 25 diagnosed with diabetes today, one in four has Type 2. It used to be very rare to see anything other than Type 1 in young adults.

Now, the situation is completely different. States like Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are recording huge numbers, especially in city areas. Data collected in Tamil Nadu from 2006 to 2016 proved that the 20 to 39-year-old age group was getting sick at a faster pace than older generations. Across India, the total prevalence rate jumped from 7.1 percent to 11.4 percent. If current trends hold, we are looking at 152 million cases nationwide by 2045.

Why Diabetes Is Rising?

The absolute driver behind this youth explosion is a drastic shift in how we live. Urbanization wiped out physical activity. Young professionals sit at desks for ten hours, endure stressful commutes, and spend their remaining free time staring at screens.

Our diets worsened at the same time. Traditional balanced meals gave way to heavily refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed food, which the younger generation highly depends on. Polished white rice, refined wheat, and cheap ultra-processed foods flood our daily plates. Young people eat far less protein and fiber. This combination of daily sugar spikes and zero physical movement directly causes the abdominal obesity driving this epidemic.

The rapid rise in youth diabetes comes down to a severe gene-environment mismatch. Young Indians live in bodies biologically programmed to store fat to survive famines, but they now live in an environment of constant fast food and zero movement. We cannot rewrite our DNA. We can, however, change our daily habits.

As per RSSDI, early medical screening before age 25 is now an absolute necessity. Replacing heavy carbs with a low-carb, high-protein diet, fixing bad sleep schedules, and making time for daily physical activity can stop this crisis. Youth diabetes is entirely preventable. We just need to act before it is too late.