, tells SELF. Pain in your throat or neck area or difficulty swallowing could indicate a bristle stuck into the soft tissue of that area, explains Dr. Roche. If those pesky spikes make their way to your GI tract, they can causeDiagnosing wire brush injuries can be tricky, since many times, people may not even attribute pain or other symptoms to ingesting a bristle, says Dr. Roche—it’s possible to not even know you swallowed one.
While those stats don’t sound too steep, the “real” number is probably a lot higher, says Dr. Roche. Remember, it’s pretty common to not even know you’ve swallowed a wire bristle, says Dr. Roche. It could cause just mild symptoms, then naturally pass in your poop, she says, leaving you none the wiser to what you actually ingested.
Inspect your grill brush each time before use, Dr. Roche says. You want to check for any loose bristles and pluck them out before they fall out on their own.