Dysphagia is a medical term that is used to refer to difficulties with swallowing. Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, while others are completely unable to swallow.
Dysphagia usually arises as a complication of another health condition, such as a stroke, throat and mouth cancer or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which is a condition where stomach acid leaks back up into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is the tube that runs from your stomach to your throat.
Types of dysphagia
There are two types of dysphagia:
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Oropharyngeal or high dysphagia. This is where the difficulties in swallowing are due to problems with the mouth or throat.
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Esophageal or low dysphagia. This is where the difficulties in swallowing are due to problems with the oesophagus.
Low dysphagia is often caused by a blockage in or irritation to the oesophagus, and can often be treated using surgery.
High dysphagia is often caused by underlying problems with the nerves and muscles that help control the swallowing process. High dysphagia can be more challenging to treat than low dysphagia.
How common is dysphagia?
Dysphagia can be a common condition among people with certain related health conditions. It is estimated that 30-40% of elderly people staying in nursing homes have some degree of dysphagia.
Dysphagia is also a common complication of strokes, occurring in an estimated one in every two cases.
Prognosis
Aside from the obvious risk of malnutrition and dehydration, difficulties with the swallowing reflex mean that there is a chance that small particles of food can drop down into the lungs. That can trigger a serious and possibly fatal lung infection (aspiration pneumonia). See the Complications section for more information about aspiration pneumonia.
The recommended treatment for dysphagia will depend on the underlying cause of the condition. However, some possible treatments include:
- physical therapy,
- diet modification,
- surgery, and
- the use of feeding tubes.
Glossary
- Pain
- Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.
- Stomach
- The sac-like organ of the digestive system. It helps digest food by churning it and mixing it with acids to break it down into smaller pieces.
Last updated: 04 October 2011
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