How do you get dysphagia

Dysphagia can be caused by problems with the: mouth or throat, known as oropharyngeal or "high" dysphagia oesophagus the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach , known as oesophageal or "low" dysphagia Read more about the causes of dysphagia. Treating dysphagia Treatment usually depends on the cause and type of dysphagia.

Treatments for dysphagia include: speech and language therapy to learn new swallowing techniques changing the consistency of food and liquids to make them safer to swallow alternative forms of feeding, such as tube feeding through the nose or stomach surgery to widen the narrowing of the oesophagus by stretching it or inserting a plastic or metal tube known as a stent Read more about diagnosing dysphagia and treating dysphagia. Complications of dysphagia Dysphagia can sometimes lead to further problems.

Causes of dysphagia As swallowing is a complex process, there are many reasons why dysphagia can develop. Some causes of dysphagia are explained below. Neurological causes The nervous system is made up of the brain, nerves and spinal cord.

Some neurological causes of dysphagia include: a stroke neurological conditions that cause damage to the brain and nervous system over time, including Parkinson's disease , multiple sclerosis , dementia , and motor neurone disease brain tumours myasthenia gravis — a rare condition that causes your muscles to become weak Congenital and developmental conditions The term "congenital" refers to something you're born with.

Congenital or developmental conditions that may cause dysphagia include: learning disabilities — where learning, understanding, and communicating are difficult cerebral palsy — a group of neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination a cleft lip and palate — a common birth defect that results in a gap or split in the upper lip or roof of the mouth Obstruction Conditions that cause an obstruction in the throat or a narrowing of the oesophagus the tube that carries food from your mouth to the stomach can make swallowing difficult.

Dysphagia can also sometimes develop as a complication of head or neck surgery. Diagnosing dysphagia See your GP if you're having any difficulty swallowing. Your GP will want to know: how long you've had dysphagia whether your symptoms come and go, or are getting worse whether dysphagia has affected your ability to swallow solids, liquids, or both whether you've lost weight Specialist referral Depending on the suspected cause, you may be referred for further tests with: an ear, nose and throat ENT specialist a speech and language therapist SLT a neurologist — a specialist in conditions that affect the brain, nerves, and spinal cord a gastroenterologist — a specialist in treating conditions of the gullet, stomach, and intestines a geriatrician — a specialist in the care of elderly people The types of tests you might need are explained below.

Water swallow test A water swallow test is usually carried out by a speech and language therapist, and can give a good initial assessment of your swallowing abilities. Videofluoroscopy A videofluoroscopy, or modified barium swallow, is one of the most effective ways of assessing your swallowing ability and finding exactly where the problem is. Nasoendoscopy A nasendoscopy, sometimes also known as fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing FEES , is a procedure that allows the nose and upper airways to be closely examined using a very small flexible tube known as an endoscope.

Read more about endoscopy. Manometry and hour pH study Manometry is a procedure to assess the function of your oesophagus. Diagnostic gastroscopy Diagnostic gastroscopy, also known as diagnostic endoscopy of the stomach, or oesophagogastroduodenoscopy OGD , is an internal examination using an endoscope. Nutritional assessment If dysphagia has affected your ability to eat, you may need a nutritional assessment to check that you're not lacking nutrients malnourished.

This could involve: measuring your weight calculating your body mass index BMI to check whether you're a healthy weight for your height carrying out blood tests. Treating dysphagia Most swallowing problems can be treated, although the treatment you receive will depend on the type of dysphagia you have. High oropharyngeal dysphagia High dysphagia is swallowing difficulties caused by problems with the mouth or throat. There are 3 main treatments for high dysphagia: swallowing therapy dietary changes feeding tubes Swallowing therapy You may be referred to a speech and language therapist SLT for swallowing therapy if you have high dysphagia.

Dietary changes You may be referred to a dietitian specialist in nutrition for advice about changes to your diet to make sure you receive a healthy, balanced diet.

Feeding tubes Feeding tubes can be used to provide nutrition while you're recovering your ability to swallow. There are 2 types of feeding tubes: a nasogastric tube — a tube that is passed down your nose and into your stomach a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy PEG tube — a tube that is implanted directly into your stomach Nasogastric tubes are designed for short-term use. You should discuss the pros and cons of both types of feeding tubes with your treatment team.

Low oesophageal dysphagia Low dysphagia is swallowing difficulties caused by problems with the oesophagus. Medication Depending on the cause of low dysphagia, it may be possible to treat it with medication. Botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin can sometimes be used to treat achalasia. Surgery Other cases of low dysphagia can usually be treated with surgery. Endoscopic dilatation Endoscopic dilation is widely used to treat dysphagia caused by obstruction. Find out more about gastroscopy.

Inserting a stent If you have oesophageal cancer that can't be removed, it's usually recommended that you have a stent inserted instead of endoscopic dilatation. Congenital dysphagia If your baby is born with difficulty swallowing congenital dysphagia , their treatment will depend on the cause. Cerebral palsy Dysphagia caused by cerebral palsy can be treated with speech and language therapy. Cleft lip and palate Cleft lip and palate is a facial birth defect that can cause dysphagia.

Narrowing of the oesophagus Narrowing of the oesophagus may be treated with a type of surgery called dilatation to widen the oesophagus. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD Dysphagia caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD can be treated using special thickened feeds instead of your usual breast or formula milk.

Breastfeeding or bottle feeding If you're having difficulty bottle feeding or breastfeeding your baby, see your midwife, health visitor or GP. Complications of dysphagia The main complication of dysphagia is coughing and choking, which can lead to pneumonia.

Coughing and choking If you have dysphagia, there's a risk of food, drink or saliva going down the "wrong way". For more information and advice, see What should I do if someone is choking?. Aspiration pneumonia Aspiration pneumonia is a chest infection that can develop after accidentally inhaling something, such as a small piece of food.

The symptoms of aspiration pneumonia include: a cough — this may be a dry cough, or you may produce phlegm that's yellow, green, brown, or bloodstained a high temperature of 38C Dysphagia in children If children with long-term dysphagia aren't eating enough, they may not get the essential nutrients they need for physical and mental development.

Tweet Click here to share this page on Twitter This will open a new window. Print Click here to print this page This will open your print options in a new window. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window. This means that the muscles of the esophagus suddenly squeeze. Sometimes this can prevent food from reaching the stomach.

In this condition, tissues of the esophagus become hard and narrow. Scleroderma can also make the lower esophageal muscle weak, which may cause food and stomach acid to come back up into your throat and mouth. Something is blocking your throat or esophagus. When stomach acid backs up regularly into your esophagus, it can cause ulcers in the esophagus, which can then cause scars to form.

These scars can make your esophagus narrower. This is inflammation of the esophagus. This can be caused by different problems, such as GERD or having an infection or getting a pill stuck in the esophagus.

It can also be caused by an allergic reaction to food or things in the air. These are small sacs in the walls of the esophagus or the throat. Esophageal tumors.

These growths in the esophagus may be cancerous or not cancerous. Masses outside the esophagus, such as lymph nodes , tumors, or bone spurs on the vertebrae that press on your esophagus.

What are the symptoms? If you have dysphagia, you may: Have problems getting food or liquids to go down on the first try. Gag, choke, or cough when you swallow. Have food or liquids come back up through your throat, mouth, or nose after you swallow. Feel like foods or liquids are stuck in some part of your throat or chest.

Have pain when you swallow. Have pain or pressure in your chest or have heartburn. Lose weight because you are not getting enough food or liquid. How is dysphagia diagnosed? Your doctor may then refer you to one of the following specialists: An otolaryngologist , who treats ear, nose, and throat problems A gastroenterologist , who treats problems of the digestive system A neurologist , who treats problems of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system A speech-language pathologist , who evaluates and treats swallowing problems To help find the cause of your dysphagia, you may need one or more tests, including: X-rays.

These provide pictures of your neck or chest. A barium swallow. This is an X-ray of the throat and esophagus. Feeding through a tube — if the patient is at risk of pneumonia, malnutrition, or dehydration they may need to be fed through a nasal tube nasogastric tube or PEG percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. PEG tubes are surgically implanted directly into the stomach and pass through a small incision in the abdomen. Dilation — if the esophagus needs to be widened due to a stricture, for example , a small balloon may be inserted and then inflated it is then removed.

Botulinum toxin Botox — commonly used if the muscles in the esophagus have become stiff achalasia. Botulinum toxin is a strong toxin that can paralyze the stiff muscle, reducing constriction. If the dysphagia is caused by cancer, the patient will be referred to an oncologist for treatment and may need surgical removal of the tumor.

A look at throat ulcers, a condition that makes it hard to swallow and causes other problems. Included is detail on diagnosis and home remedies.

What causes difficulty swallowing dysphagia? Medically reviewed by Sara Minnis, M. What is dysphagia? Causes Symptoms Risk factors Complications Diagnosis Treatment Dysphagia refers to a difficulty in swallowing — it takes more effort than normal to move food from the mouth to the stomach.

Share on Pinterest Dysphagia is more common in older adults. Causes of dysphagia. Symptoms of dysphagia. Share on Pinterest Coughing when swallowing can be a symptom of dysphagia. Risk factors for dysphagia.

Complications of dysphagia. Diagnosis of dysphagia. Share on Pinterest A barium swallow test can be useful for understanding the reason behind a case of dysphagia. Every aspect of the swallowing process is being studied in people of all ages, including those who do not have dysphagia, to give researchers a better understanding of how normal and disordered processes compare. Research has also led to new, safe ways to study tongue and throat movements during the swallowing process.

Studies of treatment methods are helping scientists discover why some forms of treatment work with some people and not with others. This knowledge will help some people avoid serious lung infections and help others avoid tube feedings. If you have a sudden or gradual change in your ability to swallow, you should consult with your physician. He or she may refer you to an otolaryngologist—a doctor who specializes in diseases of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck—and a speech-language pathologist.

You may be referred to a neurologist if a stroke or other neurologic disorder is the cause of the swallowing problem. The NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations that provide information on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Use the following keywords to help you find organizations that can answer questions and provide information on dysphagia:. Breadcrumb Home Health Information.

On this page: What is dysphagia? How do we swallow? How does dysphagia occur? What are some problems caused by dysphagia? What causes dysphagia? How is dysphagia treated? What research is being done on dysphagia? Where can I get help? Where can I find additional information about dysphagia? What is dysphagia?