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.

People who are prescribed a widely used medication are being advised to contact a doctor if they notice certain symptoms. As per Mirror, health officials say these “serious” side effects should not be delayed or ignored and may need medical review sooner rather than later. Diltiazem is a drug commonly given to manage high blood pressure. It is also sold under brand names such as Adizem, Angitil, Tildiem, Viazem, and Zemtard.

Doctors prescribe it to people with high blood pressure to lower the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. The medicine helps by reducing blood pressure and allowing the heart to pump blood more easily through the body. However, new warnings linked to the drug have now been highlighted.

What Is Diltiazem?

Diltiazem belongs to a group of medicines called calcium channel blockers. It is used to treat high blood pressure, long-term stable angina, which causes chest pain, and certain types of irregular heartbeats. The drug works by relaxing blood vessels and easing the strain on the heart. According to Medline Plus, common side effects may include dizziness, headaches, swelling, and a slower heart rate. It is mainly prescribed for hypertension, angina, and heart rhythm conditions such as atrial fibrillation. In some cases, it is also used in cream form to help treat anal fissures.

The NHS website also states that diltiazem may be used to:

• Prevent chest pain linked to angina
• Lower the number of attacks in people with Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Support the healing of an anal fissure

Like most medicines, diltiazem can cause side effects, although many people may not experience any. The NHS notes that there are several “common” side effects patients should be aware of.

Diltiazem Common Side Effects

These effects are seen in more than one in 100 people. The NHS explains: “They are usually mild and do not last long. There are ways to help manage them.”

They include:

• Swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet
• Headaches
• Dizziness or feeling light-headed
• Feeling tired, weak, or generally unwell
• Feeling hot, flushed, or noticing redness of the skin
• Itching or a burning feeling on the skin where the cream or ointment is applied
• Stomach discomfort
• Indigestion
• Constipation

The NHS adds: “Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if coping advice does not help, or if a side effect continues or becomes troublesome.”

Diltiazem Serious Side Effects

In rare cases, diltiazem may lead to “serious side effects.” These are reported in fewer than one in 10,000 people.

According to the NHS, you should “stop taking diltiazem and contact a doctor or call 111 immediately” if:

• You experience severe stomach pain
• The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow, which may be harder to notice on brown or black skin and could point to liver problems
• You become aware of your heartbeat or notice palpitations

You should also call 999 or go straight to A&E if you have chest pain that does not ease after a few minutes, or if chest pain is new or worse than usual when you already have angina. This may indicate a heart attack and requires urgent medical attention.

Before "brain health" became a buzzword, Rudolph E Tanzi started to write the science behind it. Tanzi is a neurology professor at the Harvard, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital is known for discovering three key Alzheimer's genes. In his 46-year career, he wrote hundreds of journal articles that helped in shaping the modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness.

In 2023, neuroscientist also teamed up with holistic health advocate Deepak Chopra to write Super Brain, a book that pushed against the idea that brain has fixed limits. The belief also sits at the heart of SHIELD, which a lifestyle framework developed by Tanzi to protect long-term brain health. It focuses on six pillars:

• Sleep
• Handling stress
• Interaction with others
• Exercise
• Learning
• Diet

Tanzi now 67, says these principles are not just theoretical, but he credits his own research and daily habits for helping him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged in his work.

“I’m doing more work and having more fun and excitement than ever,” he says. “Your world can feel young or stagnant based entirely on the health of your brain. Most people do not realize that.”

Let us look deeper into SHIELD:

Sleep

Tanzi aims for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep, he explains, is not just rest. It is active maintenance for the brain.

During deep sleep, the brain clears out toxins, including amyloid proteins that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Each deep sleep cycle works like a rinse for the brain.

Rather than following a fixed bedtime, Tanzi plans backward from his wake-up time to ensure at least seven hours of sleep. An hour before bed, screens go off and phone scrolling stops. If sleep falls short, he recommends short power naps, even brief ones.

Handling stress

Chronic stress is one of the biggest threats to brain health. It raises cortisol levels, which Tanzi describes as toxic to the brain over time.

He believes modern life has amplified stress through constant notifications, emails and social media. His primary tool to counter this is meditation, especially practices that quiet the constant internal chatter many people experience.

Tanzi suggests closing your eyes periodically during the day and focusing on images rather than words. Let thoughts come and go without turning them into sentences. He also warns against living mentally in the past or worrying excessively about the future instead of staying present.

Reducing this internal noise, he says, boosts creativity, intuition and mental clarity.

Interaction with friends

Social connection matters more than many people realize. Loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline.

The key, Tanzi says, is interacting with people you genuinely enjoy. Stressful social interactions do not count. Even regular texting or phone calls can help.

Because many of his friends live far away, Tanzi stays connected through small, intentional check-ins with different friend groups each day. Used this way, social media can actually support brain health instead of draining it.

Read: Neurologist Shares 10 Eating Habits For A Longer, Healthier Life

Exercise

Regular movement improves blood flow to the brain and helps form new nerve cells, particularly in areas affected early by Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also releases hormones that help break down harmful amyloid buildup.

Tanzi cycles on a stationary bike for 30 minutes every other day and walks on alternate days. He points to research showing that even modest increases in daily steps can meaningfully reduce dementia risk.

Learning new things

Learning builds new synapses, the connections that store memories and support thinking. When these connections weaken, cognition suffers.

As people age, Tanzi says they often become less adventurous and rely on the same mental patterns. That stagnation harms the brain.

To counter this, he constantly learns new music on the keyboard, writes his own compositions, reads widely and watches documentaries. New experiences keep the brain flexible and resilient.

Diet

Diet plays a central role in brain health, largely through the gut microbiome. When gut bacteria are balanced, they produce compounds that reduce inflammation and help clear amyloid from the brain.

Tanzi follows a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts and seeds. He is mostly vegan but not rigid. His snacks tend to be crunchy whole foods that gut bacteria thrive on.

He is also increasingly focused on environmental factors that affect the brain. His upcoming book will explore what he calls the “killer P’s,” including plastics, pollution, periodontal bacteria and processed foods, and how they quietly shape long-term brain health.

Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak: Nipah virus outbreak reported in West Bengal, India started with the cases of two nurses, one of whom is in "critical condition". Nearly 100 people are quarantined, and India's Ministry of Health shared precautions to prevent Nipah virus infection in a post on X.

However, how did it all start?

Nipah Virus: The Evolution And Where It All Began

The original infection was first identified in September 1998 in Perak, Malaysia, which was followed by second and third clusters in the state of Negri Sembilan, notes a 2021 study that tracks the evolution of the virus. The cases were prominent in adult men who were in contact with swine. By March 1999, a cluster of 11 similar cases were identified in Singapore, mostly common in slaughterhouse workers, who were in contact with pigs imported from Malaysia. This is how the virus started to become global. While people there were isolated, the outbreak in Malaysia continued to spread. This led to restrictions on swine imports to Singapore, followed by nationwide testing among pigs in Malaysia, and ultimately mass culling of over one million pigs from any farm in Malaysia with a confirmed infection.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak India: How Contagious Is It And Who Is Most At Risk?

Then appeared a new, distinct strain of Nipah virus with infection which was characterized largely by severe respiratory symptoms. In 2000-2001, Bangladesh and India were affected. Epidemiological studies revealed clustering around household members and hospital contacts without any clear animal exposure. This raised suspicion for human to human transmission.

Nipah Virus In Bats: How Did Scientists Know?

When Nipah virus (NiV) was first identified, scientists noted that the closely related Hendra virus persisted in fruit bats of the Pteropus genus, raising early suspicions that these bats could also be the natural reservoir for NiV. Later research confirmed the presence of NiV genetic material and neutralising antibodies in urine, saliva, blood and various organs of several Pteropus bat species across Asia, including in countries with no recorded human cases.

This raised doubts, and it was later revealed that due to the consumption of raw date palm juice, the infection developed. This is because bats also are carrier of the virus and they may bite into raw fruits or lick them, and consuming juice from such fruits could spread the infection. This was a common practice in Bangladesh and much of South Asia.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak in India: 100 People Quarantined, Doctor Issues Food Warnings

Studies examining human exposure patterns found a strong link between NiV infection and the consumption of raw date palm sap. The sap, typically harvested between December and February, is often contaminated by bats that feed on it, leaving behind saliva and urine. In Bangladesh, this route has been identified as the main pathway of transmission from bats to humans, although the possibility of additional human-to-human spread remains.

Nipah Virus Went Global

In 2014, a serious outbreak of illness hit two villages in southern Philippines, with people developing brain infections, meningitis and flu-like symptoms. Tests later confirmed Nipah virus as the cause. Among those who developed acute brain infection, the death rate was extremely high at 82 percent. While some infections spread from person to person, this was the first outbreak linked to the slaughter of horses and the consumption of horse meat. Around the same time, several horses and other domestic animals that had eaten horse meat also fell sick and died.

In 2018, another outbreak occurred in Kerala, India, where 23 confirmed and suspected cases were reported. The virus spread across three hospitals, with both primary and secondary infections traced back to one initial patient. Samples collected from the patient’s home and workplaces, including pets and partially eaten fruits dropped by bats, all tested negative for the virus, and the exact source of the infection could not be identified.

Read: Doctor Debunks Five Myths Around Nipah Virus

Nipah Virus Outbreak In India's West Bengal

Currently, two nurses, a doctor, hospital staff and some patients have reported to be infected by the virus. A survey conducted on bats in West Bengal found no active Nipah virus infection. Though there were antibodies detected in one specimen, which indicated prior exposure. This was confirmed by a senior state forest department official. The survey was conducted amid the identification of two confirmed Nipah virus cases.

To conduct the survey, nine bats near Kuberpur on the Kolkata-Barasat Road in Madhyamgram were tested using RT-PCR. All samples were negative, however, one bat, tested positive for antibodies. However, it only suggested prior infection, meaning there was no current risk of transmission.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak In India: How Is The Virus Being Contained?

The survey was conducted by the state forest department in collaboration with scientists form Pune-based National Institute of Virology. "The findings are reassuring, but caution is warranted. Surveillance and prevent measures will continue until we are fully assured that there is no risk," confirmed a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department.

Nipah Virus: What Is It And What Are The Symptoms?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.

In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people.

Nipah Virus Symptoms

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain and severe weakness