Dysphagia

Summary

If you have a swallowing disorder, you may have difficulty or pain when swallowing. Some people cannot swallow at all. Others may have trouble swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. This makes it hard to eat. Often, it can be difficult to take in enough calories and fluids to nourish your body.

Anyone can have a swallowing disorder, but it is more common in older adults. It often happens because of other conditions, including:

Medicines can help some people, while others may need surgery. Swallowing treatment with a speech-language pathologist can help. You may find it helpful to change your diet or hold your head or neck in a certain way when you eat. In very serious cases, people may need feeding tubes.

NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
Information pulled from the Swallowing Disorders page.
MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

Dysphagia

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Swallowing Disorders

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Swallowing Trouble

American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery

Barium Swallow

National Library of Medicine

Dysphagia Tests

National Library of Medicine

Tailored Barium Swallow Study

National Jewish Health

Understanding Esophageal Manometry

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Upper GI Endoscopy

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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