I am overseas, but just heard that my mother-in-law is in the hospital being observed after going to emergency with the belief that she had a fish bone caught in her throat. Apparently, they've done X-rays and run a scope down her throat and found nothing to explain it. It's not clear to me what other tests they have in mind, but they have her off food and may just be waiting to see if she develops an infection.

Are there any particular things my wife should watch out for, to be sure they are giving her mother appropriate exams and treatment? I don't really know if she choked while eating (possible, as she recently had the last of her teeth removed to switch to prepare for a full denture appliance). She doesn't always describe her symptoms very accurately; I remember once diagnosing her with a kidney stone when she was trying to tell my wife it was her bowels from some bad food... it was difficult to get her to go to the doctor to find out for sure!

Far away and worried... auto-unit.

Fish bones are not always readily visible on X-Rays especially the finer ones.

What usually happens is that the bone causes and injury to the throat on its way down and than remains painful for some time and creates the feeling that the bone is still stuck there.

The scope may have been able to pick this up. The only option now is to use some local analgesic/antiseptic throat lozenges and wait and perhaps repeat the scope if symptoms do not abate. If it was only an injury, it should clear up within one or 2 days.

Thanks. That explanation is reassuring...