{"id":9043,"date":"2019-07-30T06:29:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T06:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=9043"},"modified":"2021-04-22T14:08:40","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T14:08:40","slug":"14-general-symptoms-of-dysphagia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-general-symptoms-of-dysphagia\/","title":{"rendered":"14 General Symptoms of Dysphagia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Dysphagia is a condition that causes difficulty swallowing. It takes more time for liquid and food to move to the stomach once it gets into the mouth. It can cause pain for some people with the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people believe that they have dysphagia if they have difficulty swallowing when they don\u2019t chew their food well, but they don\u2019t have dysphagia. It is a condition that can occur at any age, but it usually happens to older adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a person doesn\u2019t seek treatment for dysphagia, it can get worse. For instance, if you are having issues swallowing on a regular basis and you\u2019re chewing your food correctly, you need to seek medical treatment right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have dysphagia, there are eight general symptoms to look out for. When you seek medical treatment, you can tell your doctor what symptoms you are having, so he or she can determine if it\u2019s dysphagia or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Being unable to swallow is a general symptom of dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As stated before, some people who have difficulty swallowing think that they have dysphagia<\/a>, but they don\u2019t. They just don\u2019t chew their food correctly. Even when you chew your food correctly, a person with dysphagia will still be unable to swallow. They may start to give up on eating because it takes them to long to eat their food. Even liquids can be difficult to swallow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be embarrassing when you\u2019re unable to swallow, especially if you\u2019re at a restaurant. People will want to know why it\u2019s taking you so long to eat. It is a good idea to seek medical attention so that a doctor can check to see what the problem is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor will be able to help you to be able to swallow again and recommend some foods to eat in the meantime, such as eating softer foods. 
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2. Food will feel as if it\u2019s stuck behind your throat, breastbone, or chest. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When this happens, you may continuously swallow to try to get the food down, but it remains there. Even if you drink something it will still feel as if food is there. It is not a good idea to try to stick anything in your mouth, like your finger because even though you will vomit<\/a>, the sensation will still be there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of the times the sensation will go away on its own, but with dysphagia, it will remain. It feels as if food is lodged in your throat, breastbone, or chest for a long period of time, it\u2019s time to seek medical treatment. There is no reason that you should be having this feeling. Sometimes the kinds of foods you eat can cause this sensation to occur. The doctor may suggest choosing softer foods when you have this condition.
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3. Drooling is another general symptom of dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since it will be difficult for you to swallow, it may make you keep your mouth open a lot. You may not even notice that you\u2019re drooling at first. Drooling can happen as well when you holding your saliva <\/a>in your mouth since you\u2019re unable to swallow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will have to spit often to keep from drooling. It can be unsightly when you\u2019re out somewhere. You may need to carry around a spit can or avoid places, unless it\u2019s not too bad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drooling will be even worse when you\u2019re asleep at night because you\u2019re unable to swallow. You will have to change your pillowcases every night or place a towel over your pillow. Even drinking water may not help the situation because you won\u2019t be able to swallow it. The water won\u2019t have any place to go, but out of your mouth.
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4. Food will come back up when you have dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once the food is swallowed, it won\u2019t be able to make it to your stomach, so you will vomit. Even if you take your time eating, the same thing will happen. Sometimes the wrong kinds of foods will aggravate dysphagia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor will suggest trying to get foods that are softer, such as applesauce<\/a>. Liquids will come back up when you have dysphagia. You shouldn\u2019t drink from a straw because that\u2019ll make dysphagia worse. The straw will cause you to drink faster and just make the liquid come back up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you are seen by a doctor and he or she is able to determine you have dysphagia, the doctor will suggest some things you can do to help the food from coming back up. Since you have dysphagia, you won\u2019t be able to eat the same foods that you used to.
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5. Losing weight unexpectantly is a general symptom of dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The reason you are losing weight <\/a>is that you\u2019re not able to eat anything. Every time you place any food or liquid in your mouth, it doesn\u2019t make it to your stomach. It either comes back up or you\u2019re unable to swallow it. This will cause you to become stressed out and that will cause more weight loss. If you lose too much weight, you will sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person needs water and food to survive. If you wait too long to consume water and food, you could possibly die. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to seek treatment as soon as you believe you have dysphagia. There is no reason you should be vomiting or having difficulty swallowing your food. Even though you may feel good about your weight loss, it is still not healthy. Your body needs to get the proper nutrients to function.
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6. Having to cut your food into smaller pieces is a symptom of dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you have dysphagia, it will be difficult for you to consume the food the same way you used to. You\u2019ll need to cut it into smaller pieces so that it will go down into your stomach<\/a>. You may even need to mash the food before you eat it. That way it will be easier for you to eat it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your time when you begin eating the food and liquid. The more time you take to eat your food, the less likely it will come back up. It may take you longer, but it will prevent you from vomiting. When you do eat something, it is a good idea to just eat a little bit. For instance, instead of eating a large breakfast, eat half of it and save the other half for a couple of hours later.
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7. Avoiding certain foods when you have dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You will notice that certain foods will make your dysphagia worse. You will have to give up on hard foods when you have dysphagia. You will need to eat softer foods, such as mashed potatoes<\/a>, ice cream, and apple sauce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to meats, they will need to be cut in smaller pieces and mashed, so that you can swallow it. You will have to give up on eating French fries and potato chips because they are crunchy foods. They can easily get lodged into your throat and cause you to vomit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will need to avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks. They are full of acid and can cause you to belch, which in turn will cause you to vomit. The only liquids you will need to consume is water. You may be able to get away with drinking low-calorie drinks.
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8. Gagging and coughing is another general symptom of dysphagia. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you place food into your mouth and before it gets to your stomach, you will cough or gag. This will cause your food to come back up, the more you do it. It should alarm you when you gag and cough every time that you eat. You can choke yourself if it comes persistent. You will need to seek medical attention right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you notice that you are gagging <\/a>and coughing all of a sudden on a regular basis when eating, you will need to see your doctor. Your doctor will examine you to diagnose you have dysphagia and tell you what you need to do. This is serious and causes you to be unable to breathe after a while because you are constantly gagging. This is an indication that there is something medically wrong with you and needs treatment from a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Hoarse Voice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the symptoms associated with dysphagia is the development of a hoarse voice. Patients affected by the condition find that dysphagia takes its toll on the vocal cords<\/a>. Patients with dysphagia find that their experience and narrowing of the throat and swelling of the tissues around the vocal cords. As a result, they start to develop symptoms of a hoarse voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These symptoms occur over a period of weeks or months, and affected individuals may not notice the full extent of the changes in the voice until someone points it out to them. Patients experiencing the effects of dysphagia and hoarse voice may require the use of physiotherapy to help loosen the tissues and ligaments in the neck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, these changes may be permanent, depending on the extent of the condition in the affected individual. Some patients may make a recovery from the effects of dysphagia with proper treatment that involves therapy and medication.
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10. Pain While Swallowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the first symptoms to show up in patients with dysphagia is the development of pain when swallowing. The effects of the condition tighten the tissues and ligaments in the neck,\u00a0placing strain <\/a>on the muscles involved with the swallowing process. Patients may notice that they first experience trouble swallowing food,\u00a0with the sensation of food becoming stuck at the top of the throat. As a result, the patient may have to swallow hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the condition progresses, the patient may experience pain when swallowing their food. This situation results in them cutting their food up into smaller pieces and chewing for prolonged periods before swallowing. However, even these strategies will still result in the patient experiencing pain when swallowing. Some patients may have to resort to the use of painkillers before eating to mitigate the effects of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients that reach this stage of the condition require immediate assistance to help them loosen up the tissues and ligaments in the neck. Not being able to swallow your food without experiencing pain can lead to a host of other complications with the condition.
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11. Malnutrition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients with dysphagia may notice that the experience symptoms of pain when swallowing food. In some cases, these pain symptoms may become so severe that the patient refrains from eating wherever possible. Unfortunately, this may lead to signs of malnutrition <\/a>and the affected individual. The patient must abstain from eating to avoid sensations of pain when swallowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malnutrition occurs when the body does not receive the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that they need from food to sustain the body. As a result, the patient enters a caloric deficit, where they start to lose bodyweight rapidly. The patient may also experience a lowering of the immune system due to malnutrition. As a result, they become more exposed to infection and disease, and they also have a harder time fighting off any illnesses that affect the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with malnutrition eventually require medical assistance to change their eating habits and stop the symptoms of dysphagia.
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12. Dehydration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The symptoms of pain that occur when swallowing in patients with dysphagia may cause them to become averse to eating and drinking. When the ligaments and tissues around the throat start to tighten up due to the onset of dysphagia, the patient first develops a hard time with swallowing. As the condition progresses, they begin to experience pain when swallowing their food or drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient may start to experience the effects of dehydration<\/a>. Dehydration takes a massive toll on the body, reducing energy levels. As a result, the patient may begin to feel fatigued throughout the day,\u00a0and they all may also experience weakness and diminished cognitive function. Dehydration can become life-threatening if the patient takes it too far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dehydrated individuals run the risk of seizure due to a mineral imbalance in the body. The seizures may cause brain damage in some cases. If the patient experiences severe dehydration, they require the administration of IV fluids to rehydrate and restore the mineral balance in the body.
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13. Choking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients with dysphagia find that the ligaments and tissues around the throat start tighten up is the condition progresses. At first, the patient may experience difficulty swallowing their food as well as pain when swallowing. The narrowing of the throat and weakness in the throat muscles may result in the patient choking on their food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choking <\/a>can become a life-threatening situation,\u00a0as the patient cannot swallow the food causing the blockage in the throat. As a result, the airways close, and the patient starts to choke. If no one is around to help the\u00a0affected individual, then the situation could end up fatal, with the patient choking to death.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with dysphagia will often cut up their food into small pieces to avoid painful symptoms and choking when swallowing. However, this may not always mitigate the risks involved with choking, and the patient could still end up perishing from choking on their food.
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14. Aspirational Pneumonia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aspirational pneumonia <\/a>describes a condition where the patient may experience food or liquids entering the airways when they swallow. Patients with dysphagia experience problems when trying to swallow their food or when drinking liquids. As a result, they may attempt to use various strategies to help them eat,\u00a0such as massaging the neck or forcing the food down their throat to avoid choking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When food or liquid into the lungs or airways, it may cause a bacterial infection, known as aspirational pneumonia. Patients with this disease may start to develop symptoms of fever and chills. The affected individual may also notice that they begin to experience drooling when lying in bed. Aspirational pneumonia is a severe infection that could present a life-threatening situation for the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, it’s possible to reverse the effects of aspirational pneumonia using antibiotic medications. The patient requires immediate medical attention or the infection may spread to both lungs resulting in a collapse of the cardiovascular system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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