What causes a swallowing problem?
Because many anatomic components (pharynx, tongue, larynx, esophagus) are involved in swallowing, dysphagia has many possible causes. The problem may usually be distinguished as having either a mechanical or neural etiology (cause). In rare cases, the etiology remains idopathic (unknown). Among the more common reasons for swallowing problems are sudden onset neurologic damage (e.g., stroke, head injury, or spinal injury), progressive neurologic disease (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis), head and neck tumors and their treatment, medical problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and diabetes, or induced trauma to the esophagus, larynx, tongue, or pharynx.
