Swallowing disorders

Swallowing disorders refer to the difficulty in moving food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach, which affects patients’ nutrition and water absorption. Because of problems in muscle control or co-ordination, food and drinks may fall into the trachea, resulting in aspiration.

Symptoms:

  • Unable to clear or swallow saliva, resulting in persistent drooling

  • Choking of food and drinks, resulting in breathing difficulty and inability to speak

  • Cough before / during / after swallowing

  • Multiple swallow for the same food bolus

  • Back flow of food into oral or nasal cavity 

  • Food left on tongue or in oral cavity after swallow

  • Gurgly voice after swallow

  • fever

  • Aspiration pneumonia

  • asthma

  • refuse to eat

  • weight