What are the causes of dysphagia?
Dysphagia may be diagnosed when any one of the three phases of swallowing is not working properly. Weakened or damaged muscles or nerves, mechanical problems or blockages can all result in dysphagia. Dysphagia may be caused by (but are not limited to) nervous system damage due to stroke, head or spinal cord injury the natural aging process injury to the head or neck nervous system disorders (cerebral palsy, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis) head and neck cancers tooth loss or decay Children and infants may also suffer from swallowing difficulties due to prematurity or low birth weight gastroesophageal reflux (heart burn) or other digestive disorders a cleft lip or palate congenital heart defects What are the signs and symptoms of dysphagia? Common signs and symptoms of dysphagia include: coughing or choking while eating or following a meal drooling pocketing food or pooling liquid in the mouth having a gurgling or wet sounding voice pressure or pain in the chest or frequent heart
