header ads

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Signs And Curative Measures Of Swallowing Disorders

By Nora Jennings


Being able to swallow is an automatic response that occurs often in a day to day life. Most people will not think of it and take it for granted as they do breathing. The fact is that not being able to do it freely can cause many problems in a persons life. These can manifest as what is called dysphagia in clinical terms. Various symptoms are observed when one is being diagnosed with swallowing disorders.

Coughing is a major sign to look out for this disorder as it should not happen when eating or right after you swallow the food. It could get so bad that one may not be able to finish their food or even drink. At such a point then you know you have the disorder, because right after you stop eating or drinking, it also stops. It could lead to blockage of the food or wind pipe by the food or drink which is very dangerous.

Another common sign is experienced by other patients. They will feel the need to over chew even when the food should be swallowed. They do this because they have a reflex action preventing them from choking. Some others also try to swallow at a slower pace so that the food does not choke them. This problem could be tied in with psychological factors that should be dealt with too.

Yet another group of people stick food in the mouth for long without swallowing. This is especially common in children who are being fed by adults. The food ends up leaking at the corners of the mouth since it continues to be broken down. Yet another group will have chest congestion immediately after they finish eating. Since some of these symptoms are not tied in people will not know they have the disorder, others for a lifetime.

Weight loss is a common phenomenon in people who have the problem. This is because they do not eat enough for the fear to choke. The food pipe is often in pain and the chest blocks hence they lack the appetite for any meal. Other signs that could hinder proper eating are wounds in the mouth as whenever the affected person tries to eat, it gets very painful.

These problems are serious because they cause a high risk of aspiration. This is where food enters the air pipe and goes to the lungs. This is a potentially fatal problem but may cause pneumonia and chronic lung diseases. This is why one should take serious steps to take care of the problem whether it is psychological or physical.

The case of throat sores can be easily remedied by taking some steps. These will include making the food softer by mashing them. They can also be cooked bland so that they contain minimum or no spicing. This will help to reduce the acidic content in the food and so reduce inflammation on the sores. This is how you will make it easier for the food to go down the system. People who are unable to swallow can be embarrassed to eat food in public gatherings.

The psychological trauma that comes with the disorder is enormous, especially when eating in a public place. Hence such people avoid the meal altogether. One could visit a doctor or change their diet to include soft meals as well as adopting slow eating.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment