Introduction
It means that more time and effort is needed to move the food and/or liquids from your mouth to the stomach, along with a feeling of something sticking in the throat and usually signifies some sort of obstruction or narrowing down the food passage. Occasional dysphagia may be due to improper chewing of the food but persistent dysphagia may indicate serious conditions. It is commonly seen in elder population but can happen at any age.
It is a very serious symptom, should never be taken lightly as it may be associated with underlying serious disease such as cancer hence requires urgent consultation with the doctor (gastroenterologist).
Symptoms
The associated symptoms may include:
Other symptoms may include:
Causes
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made based on the history, clinical examination and some tests. These may include blood tests, special X-rays and other radiological imaging.
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the most important test that helps in diagnosis and further plan. It is performed with the help of a camera tube that goes down the throat and examine the food pipe, stomach and first part of small intestine. It is usually performed under sedation and is safe and painless.
Treatment
Treatment of dysphagia depends upon the cause. It may vary between medical management and endoscopy based treatment like dilation of esophagus or putting a metallic stent. Surgery is considered in some patients depending on the cause of the symptoms. Patients with neurological cause may require learning exercises, liquid diet or even a feeding tube.
