How to Crush Capsule Beads

Nurses and other health care professionals who administer medications often times crush pills and capsule beads to make it easier for a patient swallow her medicine. Crushing capsule beads can be done at home by people who find large capsules difficult to swallow or by caregivers who are having difficulty getting a patient to take her medication.

Things You'll Need

• Pill crusher
• Pill crushing bag
• Mortar and pestle

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Instructions

Using a Pill Crusher

• 1

  Unscrew the capsule by turning its ends in opposite directions. This will cause the two ends to separate in the middle. Sometimes the capsules can be difficult to unscrew; cut the capsule in half with a pair of scissors if you're having trouble. Be sure to do this task slowly and carefully to avoid making a mess with the beads.

• 2

  Empty the contents of the capsule into a pill crushing bag. Pill crushing bags are long, narrow bags, made of a thick plastic that is usually clear, specifically for use in crushing pills. These bags can be purchased at your local pharmacy. If you do not have any pill crushing bags, you can also use a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Use a freezer bag made of thick plastic.

• 3

  Place the bag in the pill crusher. A pill crusher is a device with a lever that pushes up against a stationary side. This device can be found at your local pharmacy. Place the capsule beads into the medication cup in the crusher. Lift the lever up and then push it back down. Repeat this process until all of the beads have been turned into powder. Typically, this will take under a minute.

• 4

  Unscrew the capsule and pour the beads into an envelope, if you do not have a pill crusher. Find a heavy bottle or other solid, rounded item and roll it over the envelope containing the capsule beads. Repeat until the contents are in powder form.