Difficulty Swallowing
Causes for discomfort when swallowing food.
Q: I have recently started having a problem with swallowing foods. It seems like my throat muscles just stopped working. What could this be? It is really starting to bother me.
A: Swallowing difficulty (which is called dysphagia by doctors) can happen for a variety of reasons. It is not always caused by a serious medical problem, but it is always a problem that needs to be sorted out. It can interfere with your eating comfort and, if it is severe, can prevent you from getting adequate nutrition. Dysphagia is urgent if you are losing weight or if you are coughing or choking after eating. If that's the case, call your doctor immediately.
Sometimes swallowing difficulty can be a side effect of a medicine. Several medications (particularly those used to treat psychiatric symptoms) can interfere with your mouth and throat muscle coordination. Some medicines also cause significant dryness of the mouth, which can contribute to swallowing difficulty.
This symptom could also come from inflammation or scarring (also called a stricture) in the esophagus—these problems usually come from acid reflux or from pills that are causing irritation in the esophagus.
Illnesses that affect the function of muscles or nerves can also cause swallowing problems. Examples are stroke, Parkinson's disease and related neurologic diseases, and myasthenia gravis, a disease that causes severe muscle weakness throughout the body.
Sometimes a feeling of a lump in the throat can interfere with swallowing. This can come from a medical problem—such as an enlarged thyroid, swollen lymph nodes, or irritation due to acid reflux—but it may also be a symptom of anxiety. It is rare for a lump in the throat to be caused by cancer, but that is possible.
You should schedule a visit with your doctor so that all of these possibilities can be considered. Tests that your healthcare provider might recommend include the following:
- A video swallowing study. This test uses an X-ray technique called fluoroscopy to videotape your swallowing while you consume samples of foods or drink containing a material that can show up on an X-ray.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). EGD allows your doctor to view the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). For the test, a camera on a flexible, narrow cord is inserted down your throat.
- Barium swallow. For this X-ray test, you swallow a liquid that shows up on X-rays, so your doctor can view your esophagus.
- Laryngoscopy. This test allows your doctor to see your larynx. For the test, a camera on a flexible, narrow rod is inserted into your nose or mouth.
- An antibody test. This blood test checks for myasthenia gravis.
Find More on MSN Health & Fitness:
Copyright © 2009 by the Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College. Used with permission of StayWell. All rights reserved. Harvard Medical School does not approve or endorse any products on the page. Harvard is the sole creator of its editorial content, and advertisers are not allowed to influence the language or images Harvard uses.
Yes, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are very skilled in diagnosing how swallowing is effected, but it is the MD who must determine what is causing the problem, eg, cancer, stroke, Parkinsons, etc. These silly "turf wars" in the hospital or here online don't do anything to help patients. The professionals working as a team is best. Instead of whining about the lack of recognition that we get as SLPs, how about taking the first step in collaborating with the MD, recognizing their important roles? Respect has to be earned, and too many times I see SLPs expecting to dictate to the MD, when they only see a small part of the patient's overall situation.
(From an SLP with 30+ yrs medical experience)
I stopped the Statins approximately 90 days ago and saw the gradual tapering off of the reflux, and the increased ability to swallow. My need to vomit has decreased gradually since I quit the Statins to the point where I have not had an attack in two or three weeks.
With Statins being so widely (and I feel dangerously) prescribed, you may want to consider this as a cause if the person being affected is on one of those drugs. Even if they have not had this reaction, but are taking a Statin, encourage them to find an alternative. It appears the dangerous side effects are understated by a factor of 10 as doctors do not report them to the FDA as they are required to do. No money in filing the report is my guess.
get checked for myasthenia gravis i had same symptoms took 1 yr to diagnosis and 7 dr's
go to a good neurologist
I had difficulty swallowing and my doctor ordered an endoscopy which showed a few polyps that were removed but dysphasia continued. During the second one, the camera hit something and made my throat bleed. I had a very large and aggressive tumor originating from my thyroid that wound around my esophagus, larynx, and back to my upper spine. But before all this was discovered, I had my throat dilated three times to stretch it so I would stop choking on food, which only lasted a few months. I know this was an extreme diagnosis but you never know...I was treated for acid reflux for 2 YEARS before more extensive testing was done at my insistence. Dilation might work but other things need to be ruled out too. It saved my life.
MSN Shopping
Most Popular on MSN Health & Fitness
advertisement
Ask the Digestive Health Expert: Dr. Michael Picco
Search Related Topics
MSN Health & Fitness does not provide medical or any other health care advice, diagnosis or treatment.
