Definition:
Dysphagia is the medical term that denotes persistent difficulty in swallowing usually occurring at any age but is most common to occur in older adults.
Diagnosis:
Barium x-ray is ordered to detect changes in the esophagus and to evaluate muscle activity.
Endoscopy passes an endoscope down the throat to view the esophagus.
Manometry measures the muscle contraction of the esophagus when swallowing.
Treatment:
Treatment for dysphagia depends on the specific cause of the swallowing difficulty including prescription oral medications to reduce stomach acids if that is the cause of the difficulty.
Symptoms and Signs:
Pain is experienced when swallowing which results to unable to swallow leading to choking or coughing while eating. Difficulty may result to sensation that the food is stuck in throat, chest or behind the breastbone. Regurgitation or the act of bringing the food back up may also be present in addition to heartburn and gagging when swallowing. Other symptoms include food and stomach acid backing up into the throat.
Severe cases of dysphagia in infants and children show the following: lack of attention during feeding, lengthy feeding or eating times, food or liquid leaking in the mouth, and vomiting during feeding or eating.
Causes:
Dysphagia occurs when there is abnormality in any part of the swallowing process including weak esophageal muscle, poorly coordinated muscles of the esophagus and other underlying conditions like esophageal tumors.
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