Difficulty swallowing is also called dysphagia. It is usually a sign of a problem with your throat or esophagus—the muscular tube that moves food and liquids from the back of your mouth to your stomach. Although dysphagia can happen to anyone, it is most common in older adults, babies, and people who have problems of the brain or nervous system.
If you have a hard time swallowing once or twice, you probably do not have a medical problem. But if you have trouble swallowing on a regular basis, you may have a more serious problem that needs treatment.
Symptoms of swallowing problems may include:
Symptoms of swallowing problems may include:
A doctor or speech therapist will examine you to check for swallowing problems. You may get swallowing tests to check how well your throat muscles work. For these tests, you swallow a special liquid that helps the doctor see your throat and esophagus on an X-ray or video screen.
Other tests use a thin, flexible tube called a scope to check for problems with your esophagus. The doctor puts the scope in your mouth and down your throat to look at your esophagus.
The main goals of treatment will be to help you eat and swallow safely and get good nutrition. This is important for your health and quality of life.
You may learn exercises to train your throat muscles to work together so you're able to swallow better. Learning certain ways to put food in your mouth or to position your head while eating may also help.
Your doctor or a speech therapist may recommend changes to your diet to help make it easier to swallow. You may need to avoid certain foods or liquids. You also may need to change the thickness of foods or liquids in your diet.
To eat and swallow safely, follow any instructions you get from your doctor or therapist. These ideas may help: