Swallowing Disorders

Causes:

Weak tongue or cheek muscles may make it hard to move food around in the mouth for chewing. Food pieces that are too large for swallowing may enter the throat and block the passage of air. Inability to start the swallowing reflex (a stimulus that allows food and liquids to move safely through the pharynx) because of a stroke or other nervous system disorder. Weak throat muscles cannot move all of the food toward the stomach. Bits of food can fall or be pulled into the windpipe (trachea), which may result in lung infection.

Symptoms

Dysphagia can be serious. Someone who cannot swallow well may not be able to eat enough of the right foods to stay healthy or maintain an ideal weight. A serious infection (aspiration pneumonia) can result when foods or liquids enter the windpipe of a person whose coughing or throat clearing cannot remove it. Food or liquid that stays in the windpipe may enter the lungs and create a chance for harmful bacteria to grow.

Remediation

Vitalstim Therapy Facilitative Techniques such as Deep pharyngeal neuromuscular stimulation and Tactile-thermal stimulation Muscle exercises to strengthen weak facial muscles or to improve coordination Compensatory Techniques