The term "dysphagia" refers to difficulty in swallowing. The inability to swallow may manifest in several different ways, ranging from occasional problems with swallowing, especially when you don't thoroughly chew your food, or when you try to eat too quickly, to extreme cases which can make it nearly impossible to swallow foods or even liquids. The use of a swallow study for dysphagia is a method for accurate diagnosis of the condition. Determining the extent of the problem and its precise location is necessary before a course of treatment can be implemented.
In most instances, the problems with swallowing will not require medical intervention. If the problem worsens, which can happen as the patient ages, action will be required. Inability to swallow can create problems with nutrition.
The symptoms related to dysphagia range from minor problems to major pain. A large piece of food can get stuck in the throat. Sometimes it just feels as if the food is lodged in the throat. Acidic backup in the throat is another symptom that can be very troubling. It may help to ensure that food is cut into smaller pieces to assist the movement from the mouth to the stomach.
Dysphagia can be cause by any of several different conditions. Structures or partial blockage of the esophagus, achalasia and spasms, or a narrowing of the esophageal ring creates issues with swallowing. Many people suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly called GERD. In this condition, the esophagus becomes scarred due to the leakage of stomach acid into the esophagus. Radiation therapy, eosinophilic esophagitis and scleroderma are other common causes.
Other conditions are listed under the general heading of oropharyngeal dysphagia. These factors may cause choking, gagging or coughing when swallowing. Some people complain of the feeling of foods or liquids going down the trachea. This may be caused by certain neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis. Neurological damage such as a spinal cord or brain injury, or from a stroke may affect the ability to swallow. Pharyngeal diverticula is a condition where a small pouch forms and holds food particles in the throat.
When the health care professional is looking for information about the specific patient's condition, there are various means of diagnosis. An endoscope is a flexible lighted tube which is inserted down into the esophagus. The procedure is called a fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation (FEES). The doctor can visually examine the esophagus. Measurement of the muscle pressure is done with a procedure called manometry.
Barium is used to define areas of the throat so that images can be made using x-rays or CT scans. Barium can be taken by drinking a solution containing the substance or by swallowing a barium coated pill. X-rays are single images, CT scans take multiple images so that there is a complete cross-sectional image of soft tissues and bones in the throat. MRI technology captures images using magnetic fields and radio waves. A radioactive tracer is used to obtain a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
Checking the swallowing begins with ingesting various types of foods, each coated with barium. The path of the foods is captured in images from the mouth to the stomach. The movement of the muscles is identified, so that areas where there are problems are identified. When food is mistakenly channeled into the trachea the images show the path. This process is a real-time picture of how the muscles work to move food down the passageway to the stomach.
In most instances, the problems with swallowing will not require medical intervention. If the problem worsens, which can happen as the patient ages, action will be required. Inability to swallow can create problems with nutrition.
The symptoms related to dysphagia range from minor problems to major pain. A large piece of food can get stuck in the throat. Sometimes it just feels as if the food is lodged in the throat. Acidic backup in the throat is another symptom that can be very troubling. It may help to ensure that food is cut into smaller pieces to assist the movement from the mouth to the stomach.
Dysphagia can be cause by any of several different conditions. Structures or partial blockage of the esophagus, achalasia and spasms, or a narrowing of the esophageal ring creates issues with swallowing. Many people suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly called GERD. In this condition, the esophagus becomes scarred due to the leakage of stomach acid into the esophagus. Radiation therapy, eosinophilic esophagitis and scleroderma are other common causes.
Other conditions are listed under the general heading of oropharyngeal dysphagia. These factors may cause choking, gagging or coughing when swallowing. Some people complain of the feeling of foods or liquids going down the trachea. This may be caused by certain neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis. Neurological damage such as a spinal cord or brain injury, or from a stroke may affect the ability to swallow. Pharyngeal diverticula is a condition where a small pouch forms and holds food particles in the throat.
When the health care professional is looking for information about the specific patient's condition, there are various means of diagnosis. An endoscope is a flexible lighted tube which is inserted down into the esophagus. The procedure is called a fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation (FEES). The doctor can visually examine the esophagus. Measurement of the muscle pressure is done with a procedure called manometry.
Barium is used to define areas of the throat so that images can be made using x-rays or CT scans. Barium can be taken by drinking a solution containing the substance or by swallowing a barium coated pill. X-rays are single images, CT scans take multiple images so that there is a complete cross-sectional image of soft tissues and bones in the throat. MRI technology captures images using magnetic fields and radio waves. A radioactive tracer is used to obtain a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
Checking the swallowing begins with ingesting various types of foods, each coated with barium. The path of the foods is captured in images from the mouth to the stomach. The movement of the muscles is identified, so that areas where there are problems are identified. When food is mistakenly channeled into the trachea the images show the path. This process is a real-time picture of how the muscles work to move food down the passageway to the stomach.
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