Having troubles swallowing food can drastically degrade a person’s quality of life. There are many forms of this problem and a variety of causes. The severity of the condition will be different on a case-to case basis, but anybody who experiences pain or troubles swallowing food or liquids will be looking for ways to alleviate the problem.
This condition is known as dysphagia — the medical term for swallowing difficulties. This is a blanket term that can refer to many different situations. Difficulty with swallowing is likely to be a symptom of another disorder or problem, which makes dysphagia more of a symptom than a diagnosis.
The processes involved with swallowing are actually quite complicated. There are a series of necessary functions that need to align in order to seamlessly move food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach. This includes nerves, muscles, the brain, valves, and the esophagus. A problem with any of these systems can lead to dysphagia.
These problems can sometimes be transitory. Other times they will need the help of a Nashville ear nose and throat doctor like Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee (OAT).
Here’s what you should know about dysphagia and when it’s time to seek the help of a professional.
Signs of Dysphagia
It’s not uncommon for a person to occasionally experience difficulties with swallowing food or liquids. Slight disturbances during the swallowing process can cause items to “go down the wrong pipe,” as we commonly say. This results in brief feelings of choking, coughing, or other uncomfortable scenarios.
However, a person could be experiencing a form of dysphagia if these problems frequently occur:
Choking or coughing while attempting to eat or drink
Persistent drooling
The sensation of having something stuck in your throat
Vocal changes
Food pausing before passing
Any persistent experiences with these symptoms could be a signal of a larger issue. Visit a Nashville ear nose and throat doctor to discuss these symptoms and work toward a solution.
Visit Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee, an ear nose and throat doctor in Nashville, TN!
Potential Causes
As we said earlier, dysphagia is often a symptom of a larger issue. The many processes that are involved in successfully swallowing food and liquids are susceptible to malfunctions as a result of these issues.
The nervous system can affect a person’s ability to swallow. Any issues relating to the nervous system such as a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or even dementia can have negative effects on a person’s ability to swallow.
Mouth and esophageal cancer can also make it difficult for a person to swallow food and liquids.
Developmental issues that follow a person from birth can also cause swallowing issues. This includes problems such as a cleft lip or palate and cerebral palsy.
The muscles of the esophagus can occasionally malfunction and cause dysphagia, although these situations are rare.
Diagnosing Dysphagia
The first step to diagnosing dysphagia and the potential causes of it is to visit an ear nose and throat doctor. There are a variety of tests they could perform in order to find the cause of your issues and put together a plan to treat your condition.
These tests will often involve monitoring the processes by which your throat attempts to swallow food and liquids. This could include drinking a solution of barium which makes it easier to view your esophagus in an x-ray. This allows the doctor to view the activity in your muscles as you attempt to swallow.
They might also have you swallow foods of various consistencies coated in barium. This allows the doctor to follow the path of these foods to see if they are going into your breathing tube, as well as the relationship between your mouth and throat throughout the process.
There are also a variety of other scans and tests including:
Fiber-optic evaluation
Endoscopy
Imaging scans
Esophageal muscle test
And more
Tips to Assist When Difficulty Occurs
Less severe cases of swallowing difficulties can often be helped by paying attention to certain environmental factors and behaviors.
For instance, the position of your body can help the swallowing process. Tilting your head slightly forward and sitting up straight can provide a better environment for food to travel down the appropriate path.
Eat soft food or puree it in a blender beforehand.
The rate at which you eat can also affect swallowing. Eat slowly. Be intentional about how often you swallow. Pay attention to the process as it happens. Being mindful of the swallowing process will help mitigate any slight difficulties.
Available Treatments
An ear nose and throat doctor will help put together a treatment plan once a cause of the swallowing difficulties is diagnosed. Many cases will be able to be managed without medication or more invasive treatments, but this depends on the cause of your dysphagia.
Different types of therapy, dietary changes, and even feeding tubes can be used to help a person regain the ability to swallow food.
Medication and surgery are generally reserved for people that experience these issues as a result of a problem with their esophagus.
Visit an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor in Nashville, TN
Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee (OAT) offers expert care to anybody in the middle Tennessee area having difficulties swallowing. Give us a call and set up an appointment with an experienced and knowledgeable healthcare provider.
