About 45% of people over 70 years of age suffer from dysphagia, which is often related to other diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, senile dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Dysphagia: what is it

What is dysphagia? Dysphagia, which is difficulty swallowing, can be painless or painful. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, Eating and drinking can be bothersome, difficult, or impossible. If dysphagia is accompanied by pain, doctors often refer to it as odynophagia.

The Mild swallowing disorders are relatively common. Angina, colds and flu can cause it. Older people are especially affected.

Dysphagia: symptoms

The symptoms of Dysphagia can vary depending on the case and severity. The following symptoms characterize a swallowing disorder:

• Sensation of pressure or lump in the throat.
• Appearance of nausea when swallowing.
• Coughing while eating.
• Gurgling of food that has already been swallowed. This occurs especially when there is a lump or diverticulum in the esophagus.
• Increased salivation.
• In extreme cases it is impossible to eat.

How does a swallowing disorder manifest?

A swallowing disorder manifests itself with different problems when trying to swallow or shortly after. Difficulties may be experienced with both drinking and eating.

When symptoms appear is crucial for diagnosis. Oropharyngeal dysphagia causes complications during the act of swallowing, whereas in esophageal dysphagia the symptoms take a few seconds to appear.

If you suffer from any difficulty of this type, it is always advisable to consult a doctor. Sometimes there are harmless triggers that can be resolved quickly. An examination offers the opportunity to get to the bottom of the cause and treat any underlying conditions, if necessary.

What are the causes of dysphagia?

Although dysphagia can appear suddenly, the causes have usually been working in the background for a long time. The act of swallowing is a complex process that involves more than 30 nerves and muscles. It is the only way food can be transported from the mouth to the stomach. The sophisticated mechanism may fail due to neurological diseases, tumors or inflammation, among other things. Psychological factors also play a role in the swallowing process and can cause dysphagia.

Dysphagia can have many reasons. The following physical causes can make dysphagia or swallowing disorders possible:

• Lesions and tumors in the oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus.
• Disorders of the motor innervation of the muscles involved in the swallowing process.
• Hyposalivation with dehydration of the oral mucosa.
• Various autoimmune processes.
• Malfunction of the muscles of the tongue and the floor of the mouth.
• Abscesses, such as a retrotonsillar abscess.
• Inflammations of all kinds, such as those caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
• Malocclusion or poorly fitting dentures.
• Various diseases of the esophagus, such as achalasia, diverticula, esophagitis or esophageal stricture.
• Thyroid disorders, such as thyroiditis or goiter.

​The following neurological diseases, among others, can be identified as Neurological causes of a swallowing disorder or dysphagia:

• Dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions).
• Parkinson’s disease.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Dementia.
• Ictus.
• Myasthenia gravis.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Traumatic brain injury.
• Other neurodegenerative diseases

Dysphagia, anxiety… could there be psychological causes?

Dysphagia can also have psychological or psychosomatic causes. In this case, doctors speak of psychogenic dysphagia. In principle, possible physical and neurological causes are always examined first before psychological reasons are considered.

Psychological dysphagia often occurs in the context of «globus pharyngeus» syndrome (formerly called «bolus» or «globus hysterique», which is the persistent or intermittent sensation of having a foreign body in the throat, without an organic cause that justifies it). In such cases, generally It is useful to consult a psychotherapist.

Dysphagia: treatment

Treatment options for dysphagia depend entirely on the causes. Your doctor will first determine if the cause is physical or psychological. He will then prescribe the treatment.

In the worst case scenario, when you can no longer eat or drink due to dysphagia, a nasogastric tube can be placed, which is inserted through the nose, or a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube, which is inserted through the abdominal wall.

In less severe cases, there are several treatment options. which can be used at any stage of swallowing, whether pre-oral, oral, pharyngeal or esophageal.

The corresponding therapeutic interventions take the form of speech and swallowing therapy. The main objective is restore sensitivity in the mouth and work the various protective reflexes, such as nausea, coughing or swallowing.

Massages, motor exercises of muscle groups, thermal stimulation, changes in posture when eating, in the diet and in the consistency of meals can be used. Blending food makes it easier to eat.

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Tips to improve swallowing

• Make your food as appetizing as possible, this stimulates saliva flow
• Sitting up straight for 20 minutes after eating can reduce the risk of aspiration.
• Take enough time to eat and avoid radio, television and conversations
• Stop eating if you have signs of aspiration, such as a hoarse voice or cough.
• Keep a food diary, listing all the foods and liquids that you tolerate well or that you don’t.

5 home remedies for mild dysphagia

In many cases, acute swallowing problems caused by a viral infection do not require drug treatment. They usually go away on their own once the inflammation has healed. If you want to get relief, you can use home remedies.

1. Drink a lot

If you suffer from swallowing difficulties, you should make sure you drink at least two liters of water a day. The liquid helps moisten the mucous membranes attacked by inflammation.

The sage or thyme infusions They not only moisturize, but also have an antiseptic and soothing effect on an irritated throat. The warm milk with honey soothes irritated mucous membranes.

2. Gargle with salt water or sage infusion

If you want to relieve your swallowing problems with home remedies, you can also gargle with salt water.

Simply dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Gargling with sage infusion is even better, because it has an anti-inflammatory effect.

3. Steam inhalation with salt water

Inhaling steam with salt water is also beneficial for a sore throat. This method is also used to better moisten the mucous membranes of the throat and make swallowing easier. In addition, hot steam has an expectorant effect.

4. Heat has an expectorant effect

The heat It stimulates blood circulation and has a relaxing and expectorant effect. This will relieve the pain. The easiest way to keep your neck warm and warm is with a scarf.

The warm wraps Neck remedies are another way to combat swallowing difficulties through home remedies. You can moisten a cloth with chamomile, thyme or sage infusion and wrap it around your neck. To keep warm longer, wrap a second towel or scarf around the first cloth. The heating effect lasts between 30 and 45 minutes.

5. Cold compresses with quark help with swallowing difficulties

Some prefer cold wraps, which reduce inflammation. Fresh quark type cheese is very suitable for cold wraps, as it It does not take body temperature as quickly as water. The quark is spread on a cloth, which is turned inside out once and put around the neck like a scarf. You can also use cold gel packs.