Why Dysphagia is a Hard Pill to Swallow: Understanding the Swallowing Disorder and Therapy

Dysphagia [dis-FAY-jee-uh] is a difficulty chewing or swallowing solids or liquids. Dysphagia can occur for a variety of reasoning such as damage to the brain (e.g., stroke, brain injury), changes to the head or neck (e.g., head and neck cancer, lost teeth, ill fitting dentures), or general deconditioning.

Most individuals never have to think about the process of swallowing; however, if dysphagia occurs, we may have to focus on the process of swallowing to address the impairment.

The swallow is a coordination of many movements broken into three phases: oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal.

The Oral Phase occurs in the mouth and includes bitting, chewing and moving food around. An impairment in this area may including difficulty holding food or saliva in the mouth, pocketing food in the cheeks, or prolonged time to chew.

The Pharyngeal Phase is in the throat where food or drinks "go down the wrong pipe." An impairment in the pharyngeal phase may include coughing, clearing the throat, wet voice, or difficulty breathing during or after meals.

The Esophageal Phase is where the food gets squeezed down the the stomach. An impairment in this area may cause a "lump" in your throat or acid reflux.

Dysphagia is not limited to just one phase in an individual- It can occur across oral, pharyngeal and esophageal at the same time. Swallowing troubles can also impact socializing, nutrition, and overall health.

At Insight Speech and Swallowing Therapy we specialize in the treatment of dysphagia. We provide a comprehensive evaluation to determine the signs and symptoms of dysphagia, need for further testing such as a modified barium swallow study, and recommendations for therapy. Treatment can be rehabilitative of normal swallow function and compensatory to adapt way to prepare food, positioning during intake, and use of strategies to reduce symptoms and improve safety. 

For personalized speech and swallowing therapy in Cherry Hill and surrounding South Jersey/Philadelphia Area, reach out today! Call 856-200-8392 or visit https://www.insightspeechandswallowing.com/