The condition termed Dysphagia could be a grave ailment involving difficulty in swallowing. Those who are suffering from Dysphagia might find it hard to swallow food in either solid or liquid forms, while some others can’t swallow anything at all. As a result, they are quite unable to consume the necessary calories, making them lose weight in a dangerous manner. So it is imperative that the ailment should be treated at the earliest so that malnutrition and other such disorders that can be fatal to a person’s very health, can be prevented in time.
What Causes Dysphagia?
The causes of dysphagia are many, the most common of them being a stroke or a head injury. Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, infection and the consequent swelling of the esophagus or even a birth defect like cleft palate can bring about this serious illness. Certain cancer therapies can also make it impossible to swallow.
Are There Treatments?
Treatment of dysphagia depends on the basic cause. To find out the cause, a doctor will employ various methods such as medication or even surgery. If such methods do not produce any tangible results, the doctor might advise a patient to consult a speech-language pathologist, even if there is nothing wrong with his or her faculty of speech. After further testing, the pathologist will devise a plan of treatment according to the specific impairment of the sufferer.
A speech therapist will look for weak muscles in the mouth, throat, or tongue and address any coordination issues that appear to affect the swallowing mechanism. The therapist may use exercises to strengthen the swallowing muscles or teach the patient new ways to swallow.
Leave It Alone Or Not?
Serious issues can arise if dysphagia is not treated promptly. Apart from the inability to maintain a healthy weight, patients with dysphagia may also get food or liquid trapped in the pharynx, or windpipe, where bacteria can grow and cause pneumonia. Other times, the weakened esophagus may develop a pocket that traps food and prohibits the passage of other food or liquid. The trapped food may then slip into the pharynx during sleep and cause infection.
Most cases of dysphagia can be treated and improved when addressed quickly.
You can receive excellent Colorado Speech Therapy from Karen Barta. She provides speech therapy articulation in addition to working with people of all ages – from young to seniors.
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