water in my lung?
October 30, 2007 4:45 PM Subscribe
I inhaled water last night and did not cough it out. Could it still be in my lung?
I woke up, drank some water, and accidentaly inhaled a sip of water, but was too tired to throw a coughing fit and just kept sleeping. Is there is a chance water could still be in my lung? And/or make me ill?
I would think it would absorb or evaporate through breathing, but the idea of a small puddle of water in my lung fouling things up disturbs me. I would prefer not to develop pnuemonia or the like.
I woke up, drank some water, and accidentaly inhaled a sip of water, but was too tired to throw a coughing fit and just kept sleeping. Is there is a chance water could still be in my lung? And/or make me ill?
I would think it would absorb or evaporate through breathing, but the idea of a small puddle of water in my lung fouling things up disturbs me. I would prefer not to develop pnuemonia or the like.
Just water? That will be absorbed or exhaled no problem. If it were milk or something, then your immune system would mobilize to go clean it up. If it's asbestos, then your angry immune system attacks it to no avail and gives up after a while.
posted by TeatimeGrommit at 4:51 PM on October 30, 2007
posted by TeatimeGrommit at 4:51 PM on October 30, 2007
You're totally fine. Chances are it was absorbed by your lung and taken care of it within a few minutes.
posted by ruwan at 5:22 PM on October 30, 2007
posted by ruwan at 5:22 PM on October 30, 2007
Also, that epithelium is lined with cilia which 'push' fluids upwards, so you eventually cough or swallow. It's called the mucus escalator. No joke!
posted by pullayup at 5:23 PM on October 30, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by pullayup at 5:23 PM on October 30, 2007 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: It was a pretty significant 'gulp' for an air passage.
Also I do seem to have developed a sort of far and between 'wet' phlemy cough today.
Of course that could also be due to the partying I partook in this weekend and a little bit of hypochondria to boot.
posted by Sprocket at 7:16 PM on October 30, 2007
Also I do seem to have developed a sort of far and between 'wet' phlemy cough today.
Of course that could also be due to the partying I partook in this weekend and a little bit of hypochondria to boot.
posted by Sprocket at 7:16 PM on October 30, 2007
I've done that with white rum. It hurt like hell and my chest felt funny for days (I blame both the rum and the rough coughing fit, though) but besides that, I had no health problems.
posted by Memo at 8:18 AM on October 31, 2007
posted by Memo at 8:18 AM on October 31, 2007
Also, that epithelium is lined with cilia which 'push' fluids upwards, so you eventually cough or swallow. It's called the mucus escalator. No joke!
Pedantic: Cilia only line the respiratory tract down to the primary bronchus. Anything that makes it further into the lungs won't get to ride the elevator up. But yeah, a "sip" of water probably wouldn't make it very far.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 5:01 PM on October 31, 2007
Pedantic: Cilia only line the respiratory tract down to the primary bronchus. Anything that makes it further into the lungs won't get to ride the elevator up. But yeah, a "sip" of water probably wouldn't make it very far.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 5:01 PM on October 31, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ikkyu2 at 4:50 PM on October 30, 2007