Every time you go to the doctor and have your sore throat cultured for strep, you almost lose your lunch on the poor doctor! Here's how to make it so you never have to gag again, by slightly enhancing something you already do everyday!
Steps
- Find out where your gag reflex starts. This can be done by simply using your toothbrush to brush your tongue. The point nearest the front of your tongue that makes you gag is where you want to concentrate.
- Brush your tongue right where your gag begins. Yes, you'll gag. It will be unpleasant, but not for long. Spend about 10 seconds brushing that area (and gagging), and call it a night.
- Repeat the process over the next few nights in the exact same spot. You'll notice you gag less each time you do it.
- Increase the brushing area. Once you can touch your toothbrush on that spot without gagging, it's time to move the toothbrush further back. Try brushing 1/4-1/2 inch behind where your gag used to begin. This is your new starting point. Repeat the process as you did in the first spot.
- Continue moving the brush further. Each time you move the toothbrush back, your gag has been desensitized in the previous spot. Keep moving it further and further back until you've reached the furthest visual point of your tongue.
- Be persistent. This whole process should take approximately a month to complete. When it's all said and done, you should be able to have a doctor swab the back of your throat without gagging.
Tips
- Don't start too far back. It is possible to desensitize a further point in your tongue without first doing the closer part, and this isn't what you're trying to achieve.
- If you're still gagging a lot after a few times of doing this, you started too far back. Move forward, and try again.
- Don't do this twice a day, even though you brush your teeth twice a day. Pick either the morning or the evening as your time to try this out.
- If you don't want to disengage your gag completely, you can always just breathe through your nose to avoid tripping your gag reflex.
Warnings
- It may not be medically smart to rid your body of it's natural defense against choking. You should talk with your doctor first before trying this to discuss any medical ramifications that may occur.
- You will have to re-do the process from time to time, as your reflex will return if you don't.
- This is not recommended for children.
Things You'll Need
- A toothbrush
- A strong will
(Posted by swg credits, August 27, 2008, 9:49 AM)