Swallowing

What is Dysphagia?

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that impacts an individual's ability to pass food from the mouth to the stomach both safely and efficiently. Often, this is a result due to neurological damage or physiological changes to the swallow musculature. Someone with dysphagia may have a breakdown at one or more of the following stages: chewing, clearing food or liquid from the mouth into the throat, initiation of the swallow, and strength or coordination of the swallow response.

Therapy can provide appropriate diet recommendations and advancements, safe swallowing strategies and precautions, positioning recommendations, and targeted intensive rehabilitative exercises.

Common signs and symptoms of dysphagia:

• Coughing during or following eating and/or drinking

• Throat clearing during or following eating and/or drinking

• Having a wet, gurgly vocal quality 

• Feeling as if something is “stuck” in your throat or chest following meals

• Requiring extra time to chew or swallow 

• Difficulty clearing food/liquid from the mouth

• Weight loss or pneumonia 

Many life events and social situations involve eating and drinking. We understand how difficulty swallowing can impact one’s quality of life and social engagement. We are here to work with you!