How Swallowing Difficulties Affect A Patient's Everyday Life

By Author: Jo Alelsto
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Dysphagia is a condition known by patients as difficulty in swallowing. To some it is a dreadful condition that can make eating and drinking a horrible experience. Someone with this problem will find it impossible to eat like normal people do. Food and liquids get stuck in the esophagus for some reason and may even cause pain. In serious cases, liquids may enter the trachea and become aspirated. This is why many patients suffer from pneumonia. Serious health problems can occur as a result of not being able to swallow correctly. Dehydration and nutritional deficiencies occur due to inability to swallow anything properly. But these may also be a result of reluctance to eat.

A swallowing trouble occurs due to a number of underlying problems. In most cases, either the neural or muscular problems are involved. For example, a stroke can affect brain functioning, specifically the area that controls swallowing reflex. Neck injuries can injure the nerves that innervate the throat muscles. Congenital abnormalities may also render muscular weakness in the face and throat, thus affecting key functions like eating and swallowing. ...
... Hence, swallowing difficulty may be seen in children with cerebral palsy. People with weakened or damaged throat lining can suffer from dysphagia too. For instance, people who have been suffering from acid reflux disease can have severely damaged esophageal lining that hampers proper passage of food through the esophagus.

A swallowing problem is not to be taken lightly because it is a serious medical condition that requires proper treatment. It can be embarrassing during special circumstances. Can you imagine not being able to function normally at gatherings because you are afraid to eat or even sip wine? Many people with this problem cannot enjoy their meal because food and saliva come out of their mouth when they eat. How would you feel if you saw someone whose food is falling out of their mouth while eating? Many sufferers cannot bear with such situations and would rather isolate themselves. In short, having problems with swallowing can impose serious torments on a patient on top of the physical malfunction that they are already suffering.
A swallowing difficulty compels a person to eat with extreme caution to avoid life threatening incidents. For example, afflicted individuals are advised to not eat large food pieces because these may further aggravate the swallowing predicament. Large food pieces can get lodged in the throat and may enter the airway, which can lead to choking. As mentioned earlier, one of the dangers of swallowing problem is pneumonia. People with this swallowing dysfunction may aspirate liquids or solid foods while they are trapped in the throat. Sometimes no amount of coughing or throat clearing will remove the liquid or solid food which enters the lungs, and this poses serious health problems.

The problems accompanied by swallowing difficulty can be alleviated through proper eating management. This can be through diet and eating modification. Unlike normal people, those with swallowing difficulties cannot just eat any kind of food. Pureed foods are recommended for those who tend to get food trapped in their throats. Dysphagic diet can be improved as the swallowing mechanism of the patient gets better. Soft and semisolid foods can be added to the diet plan once the patient gets better. Many patients can benefit from making liquids more viscous by addition of thickening agents. Coffee, water, and juice can be thickened so that swallowing them becomes easier. There are thickened liquid products available for dysphagic patients. For instance, they can avail of pre-thickened water or coffee. Thickened liquids allow safer transport from mouth to the esophagus with reduced chances of getting into the trachea.

There are many medical professionals to go to in cases of swallowing problems. A neurologist can be sought if a swallowing trouble occurs after suffering from stroke. An otolaryngologist can address underlying throat problems, such as laryngopharyngeal reflux disease, that may cause trouble gulping down food and fluids.
Jo is a writer for 'Dysphagia' (http://www.dysphagia.org.uk), a web page owned by Fresenius Kabi, a medical treatment enterprise specializing in particular fields of infusion theraphy and clinical nutrition having over fifteen years know-how of providing persons who have dysphagia with Thick & Easyâ„¢, the UK's major instant food thickener. In case you know somebody who has swallowing difficulties after stroke then have a look at Dysphagia.org.uk.