What is Dysphagia?
Dysphagia, or swallowing disorders constitutes impaired, uncomfortable, or unsafe transit of food or liquids from the mouth to the stomach. Dysphagia can have a severe outcome for the patients, such as malnutrition, dehydration, or even aspiration pneumonia.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of dysphagia include:
- Changes in your voice after swallowing (ex. wet voice)
- Difficulty or pain while swallowing
- Feel like something is stuck in your throat after eating
- Coughing or choking when you swallow
The prevalence of dysphagia in the general population is 16-23% increasing to 27% in those over 76 years of age.
Why do Speech Therapists treat Dysphagia?
As a speech therapist, I’ve had many times weird looks from friends and relatives when I say that SLPs also treat dysphagia. And the question is always the same “Aren’t you working with communication disorders?”
Well..yes!! Other than the fact that the phonation and swallowing structures are sharing a great part anatomically, if you think about it, having a swallowing disorder affects communication at a social interaction level.
Several studies have suggested that there is a major psychological and social impact in the life of dysphagic patients. Food and meals are very important parts of all cultures and are linked to our lifestyle and social life. Religious, cultural, or even family traditions play a great role in our diet and nutrition.
Think of the last time you went out with your friends or even by yourself and you didn’t eat or drink anything..not even your precious coffee. Difficult, right?
Fear of choking, modified diet, slow eating or drinking, or just the embarrassment of eating in public are just a few of the factors that may keep a person with dysphagia from having a typical social life.
And it’s not just about this one person. Enjoying meals together with family and friends strengthens the bonds. Even the pleasure of cooking a meal together contributes to a more holistic experience of feeding.
To sum up, Dysphagia is more common than what people think. Raising awareness and being supportive to those patients is the least we can do to make them feel better, not only as therapists but mostly as humans.
Antiochou Konstantina, Speech Language Therapist
References
1) The role of the speech language pathologist in the management of dysphagia. Logemann JA.Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 1988 Nov;21(4):783-8.
2) Improving care for patients with dysphagia. Rosenvinge SK, Starke ID.Age Ageing. 2005 Nov;34(6):587-93. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afi187.