Swallowing Difficulties
Swallowing Difficulties Causes
The condition is caused by a problem in the swallowing process. It may also be due to some conditions such as esophageal dysphagia and oropharyngeal dysphagia. Infants of children with the condition may caused by problems in development to premature birth or low birth weight, nervous system disorders, or cleft lip or cleft palate. The condition may also have an unexplained cause.
Swallowing Difficulties Definition
Difficulty swallowing may be a medical condition in which an individual needs more time and effort to move his or her food or liquid from the mouth to the stomach. The condition may also be associated with pain. The condition is also known as dysphagia.
Swallowing Difficulties Diagnosis
The patient undergoes a physical examination and other tests to determine the cause of the condition. The patient may be referred to a specialist who may conduct a barium X-ray, endoscopy, or esophageal muscle test.
Swallowing Difficulties Symptoms and Signs
An individual with the condition may feel pain while swallowing, unable to swallow, choke or cough when eating, a sensation of stuck food in the throat or chest, or behind the breastbone. Infants with the condition may lack of attention during feeding or meals, have a tense body during feeding, refuse to eat foods of different textures, have an inability to coordinate breathing with eating and drinking, lose weight or gain it slowly, they also have slow growth, and frequent respiratory infections.
Swallowing Difficulties Treatment
The condition is treated according to its type and cause. The patient may therapy to help coordinate the swallowing muscles or surgery to clear the esophageal path. The doctor may also prescribe oral medications. For a severe condition, the patient may have special liquid diets.