What are the symptoms?

Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or drinks, while others cannot swallow at all. The severity and duration of symptoms can vary greatly between individuals and throughout time.1,2

What are the symptoms?

Some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or drinks, while others cannot swallow at all. The severity and duration of symptoms can vary greatly between individuals and throughout time.1,2

Early signs of swallowing difficulty may be:2

  • Problems chewing
  • Difficulty moving food through the mouth
  • Food sticking in the throat or slow movement downwards
  • Choking on food
  • Coughing or spluttering during or after eating
  • Excessive saliva

Other symptoms can include:3

  • Voice sounding gurgly, bubby or wet after eating or drinking

  • Runny nose or eyes during or immediately after meals

  • Feeling that food or drink has ‘gone down the wrong way’

  • Pain or discomfort when swallowing

  • Feeling that food is stuck in throat or chest

  • Pouching of food in the cheeks

  • Leftover food in the mouth after swallowing

  • Eating slower than usual or avoiding eating/drinking

Taking medication

Chewing tablets before swallowing, opening capsules, crushing tablets and mixing medication with food may all be indicators of difficulty in swallowing.4

Complications5,6

  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Weight loss & dehydration from not eating and drinking enough
  • Food, drink or saliva going into the airway rather than the gullet, which may cause
    – coughing or a feeling of choking
    – chest infections or aspiration pneumonia
    – a change in the voice

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References

  1. NHS. Dysphagia (swallowing problems).
    Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/swallowing-problems-dysphagia/
    Accessed: Dec 2024.
  2. GI Society. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.
    Available at: https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/dysphagia/
    Accessed: Dec 2024.
  3. Your Complete Guide to Dysphagia.
    Available at: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/916219/complete-guide-to-dysphagia.pdf
    Accessed: Dec 2024.
  4. Survey of medicines related care of residents with dysphagia in care homes. The Patients Association.
    Available at: https://www.patients-association.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=6ff1b4ea-52c2-4ad4-9331-d989d0b4bf05
    Accessed: Dec 2024.
  5. Tracheostomy Education. Normal Swallowing.
    Available at: https://www.tracheostomyeducation.com/normal-swallowing/
    Accessed: Dec 2024.
  6. NHS Overview. Dysphagia (swallowing problems).
    Available at: https//www.nhs.uk/conditions/swallowing problems-dysphagia/
    Accessed: Dec 2024.