Sitting down for a home‑cooked meal or stopping by Gooey Louie for a sweet treat should be a fun and comforting experience. But for people with swallowing disorders, even these simple moments can become unexpectedly challenging.
What is a Swallowing Disorder?
When you swallow a sip of water or bite of food, your muscles and nerves work together to move the substance from your mouth to your stomach. A swallowing disorder, or dysphagia, is anything that alters your body’s ability to move food or liquid.
There are three different types of dysphagia:
- Oral: an issue in the mouth
- Oropharyngeal: an issue in the throat
- Esophageal: an issue in the esophagus
In some cases, inflammation from infections like strep throat can lead to temporary dysphagia. In others, there’s a condition or disorder at the root of it. The possible causes fall into three camps:
- Muscle disorders
- Nervous system and brain disorders
- Physical blockages
Recognizing the symptoms of a swallowing disorder and seeking immediate help is crucial in limiting its impact on your life.
Identifying a Swallowing Disorder
The feeling that food or liquid is hard to swallow is the most obvious sign of a swallowing disorder. You may feel like your tongue can’t move the food to the back of your throat, or your throat has trouble moving it to the esophagus. If the issue is in your esophagus, you might feel as if food is sticking in your chest.
Some additional signs to watch out for when you’re eating include:
- Pain when swallowing. Pain in the throat or chest can arise and often mimics heartburn.
- Coughing. Coughing during or after swallowing a bite might indicate that you didn’t swallow the food entirely, or it’s coming back up the esophagus.
- Choking. Choking can happen when food goes down the airway instead of the esophagus, or when it gets stuck in the throat or the esophagus.
- Backwash. If food rises back up into the mouth still tasting like the food, it might indicate a swallowing disorder. Sour-tasting food is more likely a sign of acid reflux. In some cases, swallowed food or fluid may rise to the nose.
- Extra chewing time. Swallowing disorders may require you to spend extra time chewing food.
Signs that may arise after you’ve eaten include:
- Sore throat or hoarseness
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Acid reflux
- Vomiting
Swallowing disorders can be dangerous or indicate another underlying condition that needs to be addressed. If you notice any of the above symptoms, contact Midwest ENT Centre today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.