Dysphasia (Swallowing)
People spend, on average, an hour a day eating and drinking*. For some, swallowing food or drink can be difficult and painful. Dysphasia or difficulty swallowing can be a sign of a problem with your throat or esophagus. Your esophagus is the muscular tube that carries food and liquid from the back of your mouth down to your stomach. While dysphagia can occur at any age, it is most common in premature babies, older adults and those with nervous system or brain problems.
Dysphagia is typically caused by one of two things (or possibly both):
- The muscles and nerves that move food and liquid down your throat and esophagus are not working correctly
- Something is blocking your throat or esophagus
Symptoms of dysphagia may include:
- Problems getting food or liquids to go down on the first try
- Gagging, choking, or coughing when swallowing
- Food or liquids coming back up through your throat, mouth or nose after you swallow
- Feels like food or liquids are stuck in some part of your throat or chest
- Pain when you swallow
- Pain or pressure in your chest or have heartburn
- Weight loss because you are not getting enough food or liquid
A speech-language pathologist will evaluate you and provide treatment for your swallowing problems.
*Statistic taken from the America Time Use Survey as provided by the United States Department of Labor. http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/
