What clinical findings are associated with dysphagia?

Signs and symptoms associated with dysphagia may include:

  • Having pain while swallowing (odynophagia)
  • Being unable to swallow.
  • Having the sensation of food getting stuck in your throat or chest or behind your breastbone (sternum)
  • Drooling.
  • Being hoarse.
  • Bringing food back up (regurgitation)
  • Having frequent heartburn.

How do you evaluate dysphagia?

Tests may include:

  1. X-ray with a contrast material (barium X-ray).
  2. Dynamic swallowing study.
  3. A visual examination of your esophagus (endoscopy).
  4. Fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).
  5. Esophageal muscle test (manometry).
  6. Imaging scans.

How can you tell the difference between oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia?

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is typically due to difficulty initiating a swallow and is generally due to structural, anatomic or neuromuscular abnormalities. Esophageal dysphagia arises after the swallow and causes include intrinsic structural pathology, extrinsic compression, or disruption in normal motility.

Is dysphagia a red flag symptoms?

Dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing, refers to the transit of food and liquid as well as oral secretions from the pharynx to the stomach. It may be complicated by aspiration pneumonia. Recurrent or chronic dysphagia may affect nutrition, leading to weight loss.

What can be mistaken for dysphagia?

Odynophagia, which is often confused with dysphagia, is pain with swallowing.

How do you fix dysphagia?

Treatment for dysphagia includes:

  1. Exercises for your swallowing muscles. If you have a problem with your brain, nerves, or muscles, you may need to do exercises to train your muscles to work together to help you swallow.
  2. Changing the foods you eat.
  3. Dilation.
  4. Endoscopy.
  5. Surgery.
  6. Medicines.

What is the prognosis of dysphagia?

The prognosis for dysphagia depends upon the type of swallowing problem and the course of the neurological disorder that produces it. In some cases, dysphagia can be partially or completely corrected using diet manipulation or noninvasive methods.

How is dysphagia diagnosed?

Tests to diagnose Dysphagia. There are several endoscopic tests used to diagnose dysphagia, including an upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD), esophageal manometry, esophagram (barium swallow test), and imaging scans.

What causes dysphagia in adults?

Adults. Some common causes of dysphagia in adults include head/neck cancer, TBI (traumatic brain injury), progressive diseases, post surgical complications, esophageal dysfunction, and aging. The evaluative process includes clinical swallowing evaluations, modified barium swallow studies, and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of the swallow (FEES).

What is Dysphagia caused by?

Dysphagia is caused primarily by a weakness or impairment to one or more nerves or muscles that control sensation and movement for chewing and swallowing. Certain medications can cause dysphagia as well.

By Guidelines