*Photo Credit to https://dysphagiacafe.com/
Earlier this month Bowdle Healthcare Center’s speech language pathologist, TiAnn Boggs, shared information regarding June’s status as Aphasia Awareness Month. Now BHC would like to shed light on dysphasia, also recognized in the month of June. Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that may affect more than 20% of adults over the age of 50 in the United States. Several studies conclude that between 300,000 and 600,000 individuals in the United States are affected by neurogenic dysphagia each year. Plus, 10 million Americans are evaluated each year for swallowing difficulties. Because this disorder cuts across so many diseases, dysphagia is poorly understood and often under diagnosed. Like aphasia, it can be caused by a stroke, head injury, or dementia, but it may also be caused by cancer, developmental or learning disabilities, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Our society revolves around food and meals. For people with dysphagia, life as you know it ceases to exist. Dysphagia can cause depression, low self-esteem, lost wages, poor social performance, and increasing health risks such as aspiration pneumonia. Working through the mental aspects of this disorder is, in many ways, as challenging as addressing the physical limitations.
Each person is different, but some of the common symptoms of this disorder are as follows:
- coughing during or right after eating or drinking
- wet or gurgly sounding voice during or after eating or drinking
- extra effort or time needed to chew or swallow
- food or liquid leaking from the mouth or getting stuck in the mouth
- recurring pneumonia or chest congestion after eating
- weight loss or dehydration from not being able to eat enough
Testing for dysphagia is generally performed by speech-language pathologist. The most commonly used tests are:
- Bedside swallow study – this is the preliminary assessment. The speech language pathologist presents the patient with various textures and consistencies of food or liquid and monitors for signs of difficulty chewing/swallowing and/or aspiration (food or drink entering the airway). If difficulties are noted, the SLP will give recommendations for safer eating and drinking and may recommend the following assessments as follow-up.
- Modified barium swallow study – the patient eats or drinks food or liquid with barium in it and the swallowing process is viewed on an x-ray.
- Endoscope assessment – using a lighted scope inserted through the nose, the swallow can be viewed on a screen.
Treatment for dysphagia depends on the cause, symptoms, and type of swallowing problem. A speech-language pathologist may recommend: specific swallowing treatment (e.g., exercises to improve muscle movement), positions or strategies to help the individual swallow more effectively, or specific food and liquid textures that are easier and safer to swallow.
If you are noticing any of the symptoms above in yourself or someone you love please contact your primary medical provider and inquire about a dysphagia assessment. If you do not have a primary medical provider, the Bowdle Clinic is accepting new patients and can be contacted at (605) 285-6832.