What is dysphagia?

Difficulty swallowing (also known as dysphagia) occurs in individuals of all ages. “Swallowing happens in three stages, or phases. You can have a problem in one or more of these phases. They include:

  • Oral phase: sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat.

  • Pharyngeal phase: starting the swallow and squeezing food down the throat. You need to close off your airway to keep food or liquid out. Food going into the airway can cause coughing and choking.

  • Esophageal phase: opening and closing the esophagus, or the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus squeezes food down to the stomach. Food can get stuck in the esophagus. Or, you may throw up a lot if there is a problem with your esophagus”.

    (ASHA.ORG)

Causes of Dysphagia:

“Damage to your brain or nerves from:

  • stroke

  • brain injury

  • spinal cord injury

  • Parkinson's disease

  • multiple sclerosis

  • amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease)

  • muscular dystrophy

  • cerebral palsy

  • Alzheimer's disease

Problems with your head or neck, such as:

  • cancer in your mouth, throat, or esophagus

  • head or neck injuries

  • mouth or neck surgery

  • Bad teeth, missing teeth, or dentures that do not fit well”

    (ASHA.ORG)

Symptoms Associated with Dysphagia:

  • Change in vocal quality during or after drinking/eating

  • Coughing/choking during or after drinking/eating

  • Difficulty breathing throughout meals

  • Difficulty initiating a swallow

  • Decrease in appetite

  • Difficulty swallowing pills

  • Feeling something “stuck” in the throat

  • Food or drinks leaking from oral cavity (mouth)

  • Increased time and effort during meal time

  • Pain or discomfort while swallowing

  • Pocketing of food in oral cavity

  • Repeated diagnoses of aspiration pneumonia

  • Significant weightless

Treatments for Dysphagia:

Treatment varies from individual to individual based on deficits that you present with and any underlying conditions. Treatment may involve:

  • Change in food/drink consistencies

  • Increasing coordination and strength of swallowing musculature through drills and exercises

  • Postural changes

  • Strategies to improve swallow efficiency and safety

  • Suggestion for alternative means of nutrition/hydration (G-tube, J-tube, NJ-tube, PEG tube)

Want to Learn More? Go to Our Swallowing Blog !