Oftentimes, the news of people swallowing inedible objects and requiring immediate medical attention, makes us wonder why such cases occur in the first place. 

Recently, a resident of Bangalore made headlines for an unusual reason—he had swallowed a nail cutter eight years prior, while battling alcohol abuse at a rehabilitation center, prompting a complex medical procedure at Manipal Hospitals Sarjapur. And if that wasn't enough to bring your curiosity, let us tell you that a 14-year-old girl also found herself in a life-threatening situation after accidentally ingesting a 3 cm metallic needle that ultimately lodged itself in her lungs. Thanks to her treating doctors at Manipal Hospitals Millers Road and her parents who brought her to the hospital the day after the incident so she could receive treatment at the earliest.

But Why Do People Swallow Inedible Objects?

There can be multiple reasons why somebody may eat sharp metallic objects. The most common ones being:

1. Under substance abuse
2. Young kids out of curiosity
3. People with certain mental health conditions, like PICA or Intellectual Disabilities
4. Coping mechanism for stress

Alcohol abuse makes some people do certain things that they don’t remember afterward, including eating inedibles. At times, people also engage in pranks or dares which may seem funny, but eventually turn out hazardous. Young children, especially those under 6 years old, are often found swallowing clay, chalk, or anything they find. 

PICA is a very common psychiatric disorder characterized by intentional ingestion of inedible objects. Most commonly prison inmates and those who are diagnosed with psychiatric illness or intellectual disability are seen showing such behaviours. While it's usually a condition that people grow out of or stop on their own. Patients with Autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, or depression also present with such situations as a coping mechanism to manage stress and anger.

What Can We Do If Someone Eat Sharp Objects? 

Awareness is the most important aspect. The Bangalore resident told his caretakers at the rehabilitation center about the incident, but they did not know what to do and suggested he eat bananas, hoping it would pass with stools. He also forgot about the same until he started having stomach aches. Also, not many adults who swallow such things come out and share with someone else out of shame. 

Thus, keep in mind that:

• Only a physician can detect if the inedible item will pass with stools. Thus, always call for help or take the person to a doctor to find a way to remove it surgically or with other therapies.
• Keep an eye on your baby while s/he is playing. Check out if s/he starts behaving differently or has stomach aches for no apparent reason. 
• Don’t give the person food as it can push the object further down the digestive tract, potentially causing more harm than good.
• Don’t induce vomiting. Contrary to common belief, don’t attempt to make the person vomit if s/he has ingested a sharp object. This can cause more damage to the esophagus or the food pipe.
• Last but not least, DON’T HIDE IT. It may prove life-threatening because internal damage may occur in case there is no attempt to remove the object.