Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. This condition is more than a simple inconvenience. Dysphagia can cause risks of choking and other health hazards. Although older adults are more likely to suffer from the condition, it can happen to anyone and for multiple reasons. Understanding the risks of this swallowing condition and how to manage it can help those who suffer from dysphagia.
What Is Dysphagia?
Dysphagia is a medical condition in which individuals have trouble pushing foods or liquids from the mouth to the throat. Learning information about dysphagia can help those who have the condition learn to manage it better.
Swallowing difficulties happen for many reasons, including blockages in the throat or esophagus, weakened muscles, and nerve damage. People with conditions like Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis are more likely to develop dysphagia. You may also develop swallowing challenges if you have had a previous stroke. As mentioned, dysphagia is more likely to happen with age because of natural changes in the human body that make swallowing more challenging.
Multiple symptoms can occur with dysphagia, including the following:
The symptoms can vary among individuals. Some people only have mild symptoms, while others suffer significantly from side effects.
Understanding Aspiration
One of the most dangerous risks of dysphagia is aspiration. Aspiration happens when liquids or food accidentally enter the trachea and head into the lungs instead of the esophagus. When this occurs, individuals can get aspiration pneumonia, a severe and sometimes deadly lung infection. Aspiration pneumonia can be particularly dangerous if you have a weakened immune system because your body may be ill-equipped to fight the infection.
Healthy individuals rarely experience aspiration because their bodies have mechanisms to prevent food and liquids from entering their trachea and lungs. You will start coughing and gagging to avoid the food from “going down the wrong way.”
However, those who are older or in poor health may have weakened muscles and nerve responses that prevent these mechanisms from functioning. You may cough frequently while eating and can even experience silent aspiration. Silent aspiration makes it very challenging to diagnose aspiration pneumonia until it becomes severe.
Who Is More at Risk of Experiencing Aspiration?
While aspiration can happen to anyone, some people are more at risk than others. The following are some of the higher-risk groups:
Seek Medical Advice
Aspiration as a result of dysphagia is more than scary or uncomfortable; it can also lead to life-threatening aspiration that can cause pneumonia. Dysphagia is a severe medical condition and should never be ignored. It is essential to understand the underlying cause for proper treatment.
After addressing the underlying cause of the swallowing condition, you can cut the risks of aspiration by eating softer or pureed foods. Thickening additives can thicken liquids and make them easier to swallow. There is also swallowing therapy, which can help individuals increase muscle strength and make swallowing more effective.
It is also essential to sit upright while eating and avoid talking. A slight forward tilt of the head can help with the swallowing mechanisms, preventing choking and aspiration. Seek your doctor if you have the symptoms of dysphagia so you can receive proper treatment.
