What are the causes of swallowing disorders?
There are a large number of disorders that cause swallowing problems. Among the more common are neurological or neuromuscular disorders that cause weakness of the pharynx, benign or malignant strictures, esophageal motor disorders including achalasia (in which the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax), and esophageal spasm (in which esophageal contractions become uncoordinated). Treatment depends on the type of disorder and its underlying cause.
