Helpful Tips On Dysphagia Treatment

By Frances Harris


There are some experiences that you may go through and lack full understanding about them. For instance, constantly having difficulties when eating and swallowing is not a simple thing to shrug off. This is a medical condition known as Dysphagia which needs to be checked out. Following a proper Dysphagia Treatment can help you get back to enjoying your meals and being healthy.

Being in this kind of situation may cause you to have a problem when swallowing food after chewing on it. It is associated with pain when swallowing and makes eating to be a very uncomfortable process. The condition is however, not similar to occasional chocking or difficulties caused by eating fast or not chewing your food properly. Dysphagia is quite common among the elderly and babies.

Some of the causes of this condition can be easily depicted. For instance, if you have experienced a stroke or spinal cord injury before, it may affect the muscles used to push food down in your oesophagus. Problems with your nervous system such as Parkinson disease also has a great impact on the functioning of the throat. Immune system problems such as inflammation in the gut which leads to swelling are also key causes.

Having growth or masses in the walls of the gut such as oesophagus tumors, lymph nodes may cause you to feel that your gut is blocked. Another condition that gives off this sensation is GERD. This occurs when the stomach releases its acid back up to the throat, causing ulcers on the walls of the gut which forms ulcers. The ulcers formed cause scars on the walls and narrows it down.

This condition has a number of symptoms that clearly depict its presence. One of the most commonly known is the difficulty in swallowing your first bite of food or even liquids. Feeling the pain when eating may cause you to eat less which leads to weight loss. Having the food and liquid coming back up to your throat or even through your mouth and constant coughing, chocking and gagging are clear signs of Dysphagia.

Upon taking note of these symptoms, it is advisable to visit the doctor. This condition is diagnosed through a thorough check up with a doctor who will further refer you to a specialist who will treat you in regards to where the condition is being felt. You will be taken through a number of questions to assess how you exactly feel, point out where you feel the food is being stuck and how long you have been having this condition among other queries.

The treatment begins after finding out the sole cause of such a condition you are experiencing. Before that, a number of tests will be carried out to find the leading cause such as X rays fluoroscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy can be done. Some of treatment process especially if the cause is due to spinal cord and brain injury, the specialist will advise on reliable exercises for the muscles of the gut.

In addition to medicine, you could be advised to change your meal plan. This will involve you eating some foods while staying away from those that may trigger the difficulty. In some cases, surgery can also be advised.




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