Dysphagia

Need to know

• What are the symptoms of dysphagia? icon plus

  Symptoms vary from person to person but may include:

  • difficulty swallowing certain foods or liquids, or just swallowing
  • coughing or choking when eating or drinking
  • regurgitating food after swallowing, back into the mouth or nose
  • feeling like food is stuck in your throat or lower down
  • continuously drooling saliva
  • over time weight loss and repeated chest infections

• How is dyshagia diagnosed? icon plus

  Dysphagia can be due to inflammatory, allergic or even malignant disorders. Your consultant will start investigations by taking an X-ray of your oesophagus (after you have swallowed a contrast) or by performing a camera examination (endoscopy).

  • If these results are normal, you are considered to have a non-obstructive dysphagia. This means the difficulty in swallowing is probably related to a disorder of function of the swallow mechanism or your oesophagus.
  • If the results reveal another suspected underlying cause you may be required to have further tests to confirm a diagnosis.

• Dysphagia treatment options icon plus

  Treatment for this condition depends on your symptoms, but can include:

  • changing the consistency of food and drinks
  • speech and language therapy to learn new swallowing techniques
  • medication to improve the strength of the contractions
  • diatation of the valve between the oesophagus and stomach (achalasia)
  • an endoscopy/gastroscopy, which involves inserting a flexible tube down your mouth to examine your oesophagus and stomach