Swallowing Disorders

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/swallowingdisorders.html

Also called: Dysphagia

If you have a swallowing disorder, you may have difficulty swallowing and may also have pain while swallowing. Some people may be completely unable to swallow or may have trouble swallowing liquids, foods or saliva. This makes it hard to eat. Often, it can be difficult to take in enough calories and fluids to nourish your body.

Anyone can have a swallowing disorder, but it is more likely in the elderly. Swallowing problems often happen because of other conditions, including

Nervous system disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and cerebral palsy
Problems with your esophagus, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Stroke
Head or spinal cord injury
Cancer of the head, neck, or esophagus

Medicines can help some people, while others may need surgery. Swallowing treatment with a speech-language pathologist can help. You may find it helpful to change your diet or hold your head or neck in a certain way when you eat. In very serious cases, people may need feeding tubes.

NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders