Muscat: Tongue swallowing, also known medically as "tongue flaccid", is a serious medical condition that can be life-threatening, especially during the summer months when cases among athletes increase due to high temperatures and strenuous physical exertion.
Dr Alya Khalfan al Kindi, an emergency medicine specialist, explains that tongue swallowing occurs when the tongue muscle relaxes and the tongue moves backward in the mouth, blocking the airway and obstructing breathing. Scientifically, there is no literal term for tongue swallowing, but this term has been used to describe what happens to players in cases of tongue muscle relaxation.
Dr Alya lists several causes of tongue swallowing in athletes, such as head blows or falls that cause loss of consciousness and relaxation of body muscles, including the tongue muscle, as well as heart attacks due to heart muscle disease or sudden changes in heart rhythm that can lead to loss of consciousness and tongue swallowing. Severe physical exertion can also lead to muscle weakness and loss of muscle control, including the tongue muscle.
Dr Alya points out the signs of tongue swallowing that should be watched for, such as sudden loss of consciousness, signs of confusion or disorientation due to lack of oxygen, difficulty breathing or sudden cessation of breathing, and snoring sounds from the throat due to airway obstruction.
On the relationship between this phenomenon and the summer season, Dr Alya indicates that playing in the summer indirectly increases the risk of exposure to cases of tongue swallowing due to multiple factors related to the environment and high physical exertion.
High temperatures can lead to heat stress or heatstroke, which increases the risk of losing consciousness and thus swallowing the tongue. Dehydration caused by high temperatures can lead to low salt levels which cause muscle weakness, and loss of muscle control, including the tongue muscle. Drinking large amounts of water can also lead to water poisoning or hyponatremia, causing muscle weakness and coma that can lead to tongue swallowing.
Dr Alya advises achieving a proper balance between staying hydrated and avoiding drinking excessive amounts of water to ensure good performance and overall health during exercise. She also recommends wearing appropriate clothing for breathability and comfort, such as nylon fabrics, and avoiding cotton fabrics.
Wearing light-colored clothing and using hats and sunglasses also helps reduce the effects of heat. Dr Alya stresses the importance of eating the right foods before physical activity to improve performance and provide the necessary energy, pointing to complex carbohydrates and healthy fats in avocados and nuts, and avoiding heavy, fatty foods, sodas, and caffeinated beverages.
Dr Alya stated that the first aid that can be provided to a player with dehydration and tongue swallowing before the arrival of an ambulance is to ensure breathing by making sure the person can breathe clearly by opening the airway: Head Tilt-Chin Lift, by placing one hand on the person's forehead and gently press to move the head back and using the fingers of the other hand, gently to lift the chin up to keep the mouth open and the airway unobstructed. Then put the person in the recovery position on his lateral side to prevent choking from vomit or saliva.
Dr Alya concluded her talk by emphasising the importance of calling emergency services immediately for professional medical assistance. She stressed the need to be caution when dealing with injured patients properly and starting CPR if a person not responding and not breathing till receiving professional medical care.
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