The ability to swallow is an activity of daily living that most people probably take for granted. However, swallowing and coughing are complex and use some 50 or more pairs of muscles and many nerves to complete this most necessary function....
Gastroespohageal reflux disease (GERD), or erosive esophagitis, is a disorder characterized by a backwards flow of stomach acid from the stomach into the esophagus, according to MERCK. The lining of the stomach normally protects the organ from the...
Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder -- you may have trouble swallowing, or it may be too painful to swallow. In extreme cases, you may be completely unable to swallow, making it difficult to consume enough calories to nourish your body, and a...
Esophageal cancer is typically an aggressive cancer that is usually not discovered until it is in an advanced stage, according to the journal American Family Physician. Causes include gastroesophageal reflux disease, alcohol, smoking, obesity and...
Dysphagia is defined as difficulty swallowing. There are four phases of swallowing include the oral preparatory, oral, pharyngeal and esophageal. Depending on which phase of swallowing is affected, your doctor may prescribe one of the three...
The esophagus is a hallow, distensible muscular tube 25 cm in length that runs from the pharynx to the stomach. Esophageal disorders run the gamut from highly lethal cancers to the merely annoying heartburn that may occur, for example, after a...
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a disease that causes stomach acid to escape back into the esophagus. The Mayo Clinic reports some common causes of GERD include diabetes, obesity, pregnancy and/or the presence of a hiatal hernia. In...
Alzheimer's is a brain disorder, however, the late stages of the disease affect the entire body, including the ability to swallow. Difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia, is caused by the deterioration of muscles and the swallowing reflex. due to...
Chronic coughing that occurs suddenly after eating can by caused by several different factors. Although the cough may appear to be only a minor nuisance, any persistent cough, especially one that worsens over time, should be examined by a doctor...
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing and can occur for a number of reasons. Residual dysphagia can occur after an injury to your esophagus or as you recover from certain illnesses, and will most likely heal over time. Certain foods help promote...
After a laryngectomy, a swallowing evaluation performed by a speech pathologist will determine the presence and level of dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. This difficulty can have a notable impact on eating habits, social participation, and...
Dysphagia means that you have difficulty chewing, and/or swallowing foods and liquids. There are two types of dysphagia: oropharyngeal dysphagia is when you have difficulty beginning the swallowing process; and esophageal dysphagia is when food or...
For people with chewing or swallowing difficulty, a pureed diet can prevent pneumonia and increase quality of life. Pureed is a smooth, cohesive, pudding-like consistency. People with a condition called dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, usually...
Senior citizens face a variety of problems and difficulties when it comes to diet. Sometimes depression, medication and nutritional deficiencies can cause additional health concerns for seniors. Seniors can also experience unintentional weight...
Potassium citrate powder is used to treat a condition called metabolic acidosis. As explained in the medical reference UpToDate, in metabolic acidosis, the blood becomes more acidic for one of several reasons, one of which is kidney damage. As a...
Several symptoms may occur for people having a stroke. Symptoms that affect the tongue may provide a quick answer when determining whether someone may be having a life-threatening stroke. Although finding signs in the tongue provides important...
Difficulty swallowing, medically defined as dysphagia, means it takes longer and requires more effort to move what you eat and drink from your mouth to your stomach. Swallowing problems may arise when you eat too fast and/or don't chew your food...
Fexofenadine is a medication used to treat seasonal allergy symptoms such as hives and itchy skin. According to MedlinePlus, fexofenadine is an antihistamine that works to prevent histamine (a naturally occurring substance in your body) from...
Most people occasionally feel as if they have food stuck in their throats. This can occur when you are eating quickly or not chewing your food well enough. You also may experience occasional feelings of acid reflux or heartburn. If these symptoms...
Dysphagia means difficulty in swallowing. Symptoms of dysphagia can vary in severity ranging from mild discomfort in the mouth or throat when swallowing to an inability to eat. Some people are able to describe the difficulty, others may not know...
Cancer in the esophagus, also referred to as esophageal cancer, is a disease that affects approximately 12,000 to 18,000 people in the United States each year, according to health experts with The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The esophagus is the...
Numerous health problems may require a soft diet. According to the Medical Dictionary website, a soft diet is a one limited to soft-textured, easily-digestible and well-tolerated foods. A soft diet provides you with essential nutrients in the form...
According to Mayoclinic.com, Barrett’s esophagus is a condition that occurs when the esophagus is damaged due to excess exposure to stomach acid. When food is swallowed, it is kept in the stomach by a muscle in the shape of a ring that...
Part of the aftermath of a stroke can include difficulty swallowing enough food to maintain adequate nutrition. A dysphagia evaluation, performed after a stroke, assesses the ability to swallow liquids and solids in varying levels of consistency....
Swallowing disorders, which are called dysphagia, occur in children anywhere from the mouth down through the throat. Any type of swallowing problem has the potential to cause serious problems with your child's overall health and development. If...
Follicular adenoma of the thyroid is a noncancerous mass in the thyroid gland. The textbook "Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease" describes these masses as having well-defined borders; under the microscope, individual cells may look like normal...
Nutritional supplements are an efficient way to boost calories, protein and other nutrients. A 2010 review by Tanvir Ahmed and Nadim Haboubi of Nevill Hall Hospital in Wales found that oral liquid energy-dense and high-quality protein supplements...
Dysphagia is a condition where you have difficulty chewing or swallowing food or liquid. Esophageal dysphagia occurs when food or liquid stops in the esophagus. This can occur due to acid reflux. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a condition where you...
Serevent (salmeterol) is medication used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) like emphysema. It is also used to prevent asthma exacerbations. According to MedlinePlus, Serevent is a long-acting beta-agonist that works to relax...
