SWALLOWING

Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids (including their saliva), while others can’t swallow at all.

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

Dysphagia is usually caused by another health condition, for example a condition that affects the nervous system (such as a stroke, head injury, or dementia), cancer (of the mouth, throat, oesophagus), reflux - where stomach acid leaks back up into the oesophagus and sometimes as high as the pharynx. 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

Treatment usually depends on the cause and type of dysphagia. Once swallow function is assessed, diagnosis and a treatment/management plan can be completed. If instrumental assessment hasn't been completed recently (e.g. an x-ray of swallowing and/or a camera through the nose whilst eating/drinking), it might be recommended that this is done to help management and consider whether an exercise programme could be beneficial. 

Please email admin@specialistspeechpathologyservices.com.au for any further information, or if you or someone you care for would like support with assessment and management of dysphagia.