This will help identify any weaknesses or abnormalities. A videofluorscopic swallowing evaluation is a radiologic exam that uses a type of X-ray called fluoroscopy. This test is performed by a speech-language pathologist.
It shows the oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phases of the swallow. This will help the doctor detect the ingestion of food and liquid into the trachea. They can use this information to diagnose muscle weakness and dysfunction. An endoscopy may be used to check all areas of your esophagus. During this examination, the doctor will insert a very thin flexible tube with a camera attachment down into your esophagus. This allows the doctor to see the esophagus in detail.
The manometry is another invasive test that can be used to check the inside of your throat. More specifically, this test checks the pressure of the muscles in your throat when you swallow. The doctor will insert a tube into your esophagus to measure the pressure in your muscles when they contract. A speech-language pathologist will perform a swallowing evaluation to diagnosis your dysphagia.
Once the evaluation is completed, the speech pathologist may recommend:. However, if swallowing problems are persistent, they can result in malnutrition and dehydration , especially in the very young and in older adults. Recurrent respiratory infections and aspiration pneumonia are also likely.
All of these complications are serious and life-threatening and must be treated definitively. If your swallowing problem is caused by a tightened esophagus, a procedure called esophageal dilation may be used to expand the esophagus. During this procedure, a small balloon is placed into the esophagus to widen it. The balloon is then removed. If there are any abnormal growths in the esophagus, surgery may be necessary to remove them.
Surgery may also be used to remove scar tissue. If you have acid reflux or ulcers, you may be given prescription medication to treat them and encouraged to follow a reflux diet.
In severe cases, you may be admitted to the hospital and given food through a feeding tube. This special tube goes right into the stomach and bypasses the esophagus. Modified diets may also be necessary until the swallowing difficulty improves. This prevents dehydration and malnutrition. Getting food stuck in the throat can be worrisome. But there are often ways to resolve the issue at home. Here's what you can try and when to seek…. So it can be hard to know when to seek help.
Contact your healthcare provider:. If your swallowing problems are not linked to a more serious illness, you can take some simple steps at home to make eating and drinking more effort-free. If your problems stem from GERD, try taking antacids to control your acid reflux symptoms. Prop up the head of your bed. Eat smaller meals, and don't have any food for about 3 hours before going to sleep. Tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine are also linked to GERD.
Not having them may help, too. Obesity and stress are linked to GERD. So exercise and stress-busting activities like yoga may cut down on your symptoms.
The way you eat and drink can cause swallowing problems. Taking smaller bites, chewing thoroughly, and eating more slowly may help to make swallowing easier. A speech or occupational therapist can help you relearn how to swallow if your problem was caused by nervous system damage from a stroke.
A specialist can also teach feeding methods for eating problems caused by Alzheimer disease. These include using a smaller spoon. Also adding a special thickener to liquids, especially water, can make it easier to drink something without choking. Your swallowing problems may come from another type of serious illness, such as cancer. Then you may need a comprehensive treatment plan with medicine or possibly surgery. Search Encyclopedia. Coping with Swallowing Problems As you go through daily life, swallowing is as natural as breathing.
Other things that can affect how you swallow include: Insertion of a breathing tube tracheotomy Oral or throat surgery Radiation treatment Narrowing of the esophagus because of cancer, GERD, or other illness An allergic condition called eosinophilic esophagitis Trouble with how the esophagus contracts Symptoms of swallowing problems Be aware of these signs of swallowing problems: Feeling of a lump in your throat Hoarseness Feeling that food or liquid is stuck in your throat or behind your breastbone Pain or tightness in your throat or chest Weight loss or not getting the nutrition you need because of trouble swallowing Choking or coughing caused by bits of food or drink that get caught in your throat Drooling Who is at risk for swallowing problems?
Contact your treatment team immediately if you're being treated for dysphagia and you develop these symptoms. If this isn't possible, contact your local out-of-hours service or call NHS 24 service. Symptoms of aspiration pneumonia can range from mild to severe, and it is usually treated with antibiotics. Severe cases will require hospital admission and treatment with intravenous antibiotics through a drip. Read more about treating pneumonia. In particularly old or frail people, there's a chance the infection could lead to their lungs becoming filled with fluid, preventing them working properly.
This is known as acute respiratory distress syndrome ARDS. Your chances of developing pneumonia as a result of dysphagia are higher if you have a weakened immune system, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD , or if your oral and dental hygiene is poor. If children with long-term dysphagia aren't eating enough, they may not get the essential nutrients they need for physical and mental development. Children who have difficulty eating may also find meal times stressful, which may lead to behavioural problems.
Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Dysphagia swallowing problems. Dysphagia swallowing problems See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About dysphagia 2. Causes of dysphagia 3. Diagnosing dysphagia 4. Treating dysphagia 5. Complications of dysphagia. About dysphagia Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties.
Other signs of dysphagia include: coughing or choking when eating or drinking bringing food back up, sometimes through the nose a sensation that food is stuck in your throat or chest persistent drooling of saliva Over time, dysphagia can also cause symptoms such as weight loss and repeated chest infections. You should see your GP if you have swallowing difficulties. What causes dysphagia? Dysphagia is usually caused by another health condition, such as: a condition that affects the nervous system, such as a stroke , head injury , or dementia cancer — such as mouth cancer or oesophageal cancer gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD — where stomach acid leaks back up into the oesophagus Dysphagia can also occur in children as the result of a developmental or learning disability.
Dysphagia can be caused by problems with the: mouth or throat, known as oropharyngeal or "high" dysphagia oesophagus the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach , known as oesophageal or "low" dysphagia Read more about the causes of dysphagia.
Treating dysphagia Treatment usually depends on the cause and type of dysphagia. Treatments for dysphagia include: speech and language therapy to learn new swallowing techniques changing the consistency of food and liquids to make them safer to swallow alternative forms of feeding, such as tube feeding through the nose or stomach surgery to widen the narrowing of the oesophagus by stretching it or inserting a plastic or metal tube known as a stent Read more about diagnosing dysphagia and treating dysphagia.
Complications of dysphagia Dysphagia can sometimes lead to further problems. Causes of dysphagia As swallowing is a complex process, there are many reasons why dysphagia can develop. Some causes of dysphagia are explained below. Neurological causes The nervous system is made up of the brain, nerves and spinal cord. Some neurological causes of dysphagia include: a stroke neurological conditions that cause damage to the brain and nervous system over time, including Parkinson's disease , multiple sclerosis , dementia , and motor neurone disease brain tumours myasthenia gravis — a rare condition that causes your muscles to become weak Congenital and developmental conditions The term "congenital" refers to something you're born with.
Congenital or developmental conditions that may cause dysphagia include: learning disabilities — where learning, understanding, and communicating are difficult cerebral palsy — a group of neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination a cleft lip and palate — a common birth defect that results in a gap or split in the upper lip or roof of the mouth Obstruction Conditions that cause an obstruction in the throat or a narrowing of the oesophagus the tube that carries food from your mouth to the stomach can make swallowing difficult.
Dysphagia can also sometimes develop as a complication of head or neck surgery. Diagnosing dysphagia See your GP if you're having any difficulty swallowing. Your GP will want to know: how long you've had dysphagia whether your symptoms come and go, or are getting worse whether dysphagia has affected your ability to swallow solids, liquids, or both whether you've lost weight Specialist referral Depending on the suspected cause, you may be referred for further tests with: an ear, nose and throat ENT specialist a speech and language therapist SLT a neurologist — a specialist in conditions that affect the brain, nerves, and spinal cord a gastroenterologist — a specialist in treating conditions of the gullet, stomach, and intestines a geriatrician — a specialist in the care of elderly people The types of tests you might need are explained below.
Water swallow test A water swallow test is usually carried out by a speech and language therapist, and can give a good initial assessment of your swallowing abilities. Videofluoroscopy A videofluoroscopy, or modified barium swallow, is one of the most effective ways of assessing your swallowing ability and finding exactly where the problem is.
Nasoendoscopy A nasendoscopy, sometimes also known as fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing FEES , is a procedure that allows the nose and upper airways to be closely examined using a very small flexible tube known as an endoscope. Read more about endoscopy. Manometry and hour pH study Manometry is a procedure to assess the function of your oesophagus.
Diagnostic gastroscopy Diagnostic gastroscopy, also known as diagnostic endoscopy of the stomach, or oesophagogastroduodenoscopy OGD , is an internal examination using an endoscope. Nutritional assessment If dysphagia has affected your ability to eat, you may need a nutritional assessment to check that you're not lacking nutrients malnourished.
This could involve: measuring your weight calculating your body mass index BMI to check whether you're a healthy weight for your height carrying out blood tests.
Treating dysphagia Most swallowing problems can be treated, although the treatment you receive will depend on the type of dysphagia you have. High oropharyngeal dysphagia High dysphagia is swallowing difficulties caused by problems with the mouth or throat.
There are 3 main treatments for high dysphagia: swallowing therapy dietary changes feeding tubes Swallowing therapy You may be referred to a speech and language therapist SLT for swallowing therapy if you have high dysphagia.
Dietary changes You may be referred to a dietitian specialist in nutrition for advice about changes to your diet to make sure you receive a healthy, balanced diet. Feeding tubes Feeding tubes can be used to provide nutrition while you're recovering your ability to swallow.
There are 2 types of feeding tubes: a nasogastric tube — a tube that is passed down your nose and into your stomach a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy PEG tube — a tube that is implanted directly into your stomach Nasogastric tubes are designed for short-term use. You should discuss the pros and cons of both types of feeding tubes with your treatment team. Low oesophageal dysphagia Low dysphagia is swallowing difficulties caused by problems with the oesophagus.
Medication Depending on the cause of low dysphagia, it may be possible to treat it with medication. Botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin can sometimes be used to treat achalasia. Surgery Other cases of low dysphagia can usually be treated with surgery. Endoscopic dilatation Endoscopic dilation is widely used to treat dysphagia caused by obstruction. Find out more about gastroscopy. Inserting a stent If you have oesophageal cancer that can't be removed, it's usually recommended that you have a stent inserted instead of endoscopic dilatation.
Congenital dysphagia If your baby is born with difficulty swallowing congenital dysphagia , their treatment will depend on the cause. Cerebral palsy Dysphagia caused by cerebral palsy can be treated with speech and language therapy.
Cleft lip and palate Cleft lip and palate is a facial birth defect that can cause dysphagia. Narrowing of the oesophagus Narrowing of the oesophagus may be treated with a type of surgery called dilatation to widen the oesophagus. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD Dysphagia caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD can be treated using special thickened feeds instead of your usual breast or formula milk.
Breastfeeding or bottle feeding If you're having difficulty bottle feeding or breastfeeding your baby, see your midwife, health visitor or GP. Complications of dysphagia The main complication of dysphagia is coughing and choking, which can lead to pneumonia.
Coughing and choking If you have dysphagia, there's a risk of food, drink or saliva going down the "wrong way". For more information and advice, see What should I do if someone is choking?.
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