Various Approaches Used For Dysphagia Treatment

By Karen Edwards


The medical term which is used in referring to the sensation of difficulty in swallowing is dysphagia. At times the swallowing difficulty tends to be accompanied by a lot of pain. Difficulty in swallowing can be brought about by a number of medical causes which makes dysphagia treatment to also be different.

The severity of this problem varies. When the difficult is mild then it implies that one feels food is taking a longer period of time to pass through the gullet and most of times an individual does not feel any pain. Swallowing of liquids might also cause no problem. When the problem becomes severe it implies that both liquids and solid do not pass down through the esophagus and this might cause an individual to vomit.

Some muscle nerve disorder usually affects the muscles together with the nerves in the esophagus leading to difficulties in swallowing. This is caused by the fact that food particles cannot be able to flow smoothly through the gullet to the stomach. This is what is known as neurological cause of dysphagia. This is very common to the elderly generation.

This particular acid is viewed to irritate the inside lining especially on the lower gullet leading to esophagitis. Esophagitis caused by acid reflux is very common although the stricture which causes difficulty in swallowing is not common which is basically a complication associated with this particular problem.

There is variation of the severity of this kind of a problem. When the difficulty in swallowing is mild it means that the food particles might be taking a longer period of time to go through the esophagus to reach the stomach. In most cases when the problem is mild and individual does not experience any kind of pain. An individual does not also experience any problems in swallowing of liquids.

When you experience these difficulties in swallowing it becomes extremely important to visit a doctor soonest possible. Tests to be carried out usually depends on the cause of swallowing difficulty. The doctor determines the test to be administered which is dependent on your medical history. The treatment of difficulty in swallowing is also dependent on the type of dysphagia as well as the cause.

In case you have been diagnosed with oropharyngeal, there is a likelihood that the doctor might refer you to the speech or the swallowing therapist. Therapy with this regards involves learning exercises. There are several exercises which the therapist might administer so as to help you in coordinating the swallowing muscles or even re-stimulating the muscles which might trigger the swallowing reflex.

Difficulty in swallowing which is mostly associated with GERD is usually treated using prescription of some oral medication which aims at reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. You might be required to take these kind of medication for an extended period of time. In case you might be suffering from eosinophilic esophagitis you might need corticosteroids. On the other hand if you are suffering from esophageal spasm some smooth muscle relaxants might be of good help to your problem.




About the Author: