Speech, Swallowing, & Voice Specialists of Hawaii
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SWALLOWING (DYSPHAGIA) THERAPY SERVICES
What is Dysphagia?
Dysphagia is a swallow disorder that can involve the oral cavity, pharyngeal cavity, or esophagus. Dysphagia occurs when there is a disruption in the swallowing process due to anatomical, physiological or neurological impairments making it difficult for someone to eat/drink safely and without difficulty.
People with dysphagia may lose interest in mealtime resulting in isolation and reduced enjoyment related to eating or drinking. There are also increased costs associated with dysphagia and generally an overall significant change in lifestyle for patients and their families.
If you have any of the signs/symptoms below, you may benefit from a dysphagia assessment?
Signs and Symptoms associated with dysphagia can include:
Pain while swallowing
Inability to swallow
A sensation of food getting stuck in the throat or chest or behind the breastbone (sternum)
Drooling
Hoarseness
Food coming back up (regurgitation)
Frequent heartburn
Food or stomach acid backing up into the throat
Weight loss
Coughing or gagging when swallowing
Common Causes of Dysphagia:
Stroke
Parkinson's Disease
Dementia
Alzheimer's Disease
Head/Neck Cancer
GERD/Reflux
ALS
Muscular Dystrophy
Multiple Sclerosis
Myasthenia Gravis
Traumatic Brain Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
Myasthenia Gravis
Surgery to neck/throat/upper spine
Post intubation
Tracheostomy
Respiratory issues (i.e., COPD)
3 Major Complications from Dysphagia
Malnutrition, weight loss and dehydration
Dysphagia can make it difficult to take in enough nourishment and fluids.
Aspiration pneumonia
Food or liquid entering the airway during attempts to swallow can cause aspiration pneumonia as a result of the food introducing bacteria into the lungs.
Choking
Food stuck in the throat can cause choking.
If food completely blocks the airway and no one intervenes with a successful Heimlich maneuver, death can occur.
WHAT DOES ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION LOOK LIKE?
A typical swallowing evaluation consists of a trained speech pathologist assessing your tolerance of a variety off foods/liquids. Intervention may consists of swallowing exercises, compensatory swallowing strategies, diet texture and liquids consistency modifications, and caregiver/patient education. Sometimes the speech pathologist may also recommend an instrumental swallow assessment to further assess the part of the throat we cannot see.
Speech, Swallowing, & Voice Specialists of Hawaii is happy to announce our ability to perform such an instrumental swallow study in the comfort of your own home. We utilize Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of the Swallowing, known as FEES to directly visualize your throat and accurately assess your issues in order to develop a completely individualized plan of care. We are the first and only mobile FEES provider for the Hawaiian Islands.