Swallowing Problems (Dysphagia)
What is dysphagia?
- Dysphagia is a problem with swallowing
- You may have problems swallowing food, drink or tablets
What happens when you have dysphagia?
When food or drink is in your mouth you may have problems with:
- Holding food and drink in your mouth
- Chewing
- Moving food and drink to the back of your mouth
- Clearing food and drink from your cheeks
When food or drink is in your throat you may have problems with:
- Coughing or choking
- Food or drink coming out your nose
- Food getting stuck in your throat
When food or drink is in your food pipe you may have problems with:
- Heartburn
- Reflux
What can happen because of dysphagia?
- Food or drink going into the airway instead of the food pipe
- Chest infections
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Choking
- Weight loss
- Hospital stays
- Avoiding food and drink
What causes dysphagia?
- Damage to the part of the brain that controls swallowing
- Surgery to the mouth, throat, spine, head or brain
- Cancer of the mouth, throat, head or neck
- Breathing problems
Other Conditions List
- Acid Reflux
- Barrett’s Oesophagus
- Bowel Cancer
- Chronic Constipation
- Coeliac Disease
- Colon Cancer
- Crohn’s Disease
- Diverticulitis
- Gastroenteritis in Adults
- GORD
- Heartburn
- Helicobacter pylori
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Liver Disease
- Motility Disorders
- Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Rectal Bleeding
- Swallowing Problems (Dysphagia)
- Travellers’ Diarrhoea
- Ulcerative Colitis