Language
Country/Area
No result found
The Mystery of Dysphagia: Why Does Food Get Stuck in the Throat?
Dysphagia, or oropharyngeal dysphagia, is difficulty emptying food from the oropharynx into the esophagus due to malfunction near the throat. The manifestations vary depending on the different causes and the nature of the symptoms. Many patients report a feeling of food getting stuck in the throat when swallowing, and also experience coughing, choking, weight loss, recurrent pneumonia or food reflux. According to research, the prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia is estimated to be between 2% and 16%, depending on a variety of factors including underlying cause, age, and environment.
Dysphagia can have many different causes for food getting stuck in the throat, some of which are more troublesome than others.
Symptoms and signs
Some common signs and symptoms of dysphagia include difficulty holding food, not being able to control food or saliva in the mouth normally, difficulty starting to swallow, frequent coughing or choking, frequent pneumonia, unexplained weight loss, grunting or wet sounds after swallowing, and difficulty swallowing. nasal reflux and the patient's subjective feeling of dysphagia. Other related symptoms include drooling, speech disorders, aspiration pneumonia, and depression. Patients, when asked where the food is stuck, will often point to the neck.
Possible complications
If left untreated, dysphagia can lead to a variety of complications, including aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, or dehydration. These complications not only affect the patient's physical health, but also significantly reduce their quality of life.
Diagnostic Process
When doctors suspect a person has oropharyngeal dysphagia, they usually ask the following questions: Does the person cough or choke when eating? Does food come back up through the nose after swallowing? If the patient answers affirmatively, a modified barium swallow (MBS) may be performed. During this test, foods of varying consistencies are mixed with barium sulfate and the patient is asked to swallow the mixture for viewing on an X-ray.
Through this type of imaging, the clinician can analyze how the patient swallows and identify any abnormalities.
Potential etiology diagnosis
Stroke is one of the common causes of pharyngeal dysfunction and is associated with a higher risk of aspiration. Parkinson's disease may lead to a variety of abnormalities in the swallowing process. Other neurological diseases, such as ALS or myasthenia gravis, can also affect the muscles of the mouth and pharynx, leading to dysphagia. Structural abnormalities such as tumors, malfunction of the ring structures in the neck, or pharyngeal wall muscles can also cause swallowing problems.
Treatment methods
Common treatments include the use of food thickeners to improve swallowing in infants, children and adults. Additionally, postural adjustment techniques such as tilting the head back, chin down, or turning the head to the side can help when swallowing. Special swallowing techniques, such as ultrasonic swallowing and effort swallowing, are often used to improve swallowing ability.
Different patients may need different dietary modifications to avoid choking, such as a thin or soft diet.
Surgical considerations
Surgery is usually the last resort in the treatment of dysphagia. Possible surgical options include tracheostomy, vocal cord augmentation, and partial or total laryngectomy. The decision to perform these surgeries is based on a detailed medical history and evaluation to ensure the safety and well-being of the patient.
Overall, dysphagia not only affects the quality of daily life, but may also cause a variety of health problems. In the face of this challenge, early diagnosis and intervention are crucial to improving treatment outcomes. What methods can effectively reduce the occurrence of dysphagia and improve patients' quality of life?
