Fundamentals of Dysphagia: Causes and Symptoms

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, may be caused by injury, stroke, cancer, or Parkinson’s disease, to name a few.

Depending on the cause, symptoms of dysphagia may include coughing when eating or drinking, food or liquid leaking from the mouth, or a wet sounding voice during or after eating or drinking. If gone untreated, dysphagia in the long term may lead to a higher risk of aspiration (food or liquid gets into lungs), dehydration, or malnutrition.

If prescribed a modified texture diet, you may become very familiar with foods like the pureed (IDDSI Level 4) Pepper Beef featured in this photo! Fresh USDA beef is slow cooked with sweet green peppers to make this delicious entrée. It’s available in IDDSI levels 4, 5, and 6, and can stand alone as an A La Carte dish, or as the star of the Pepper Beef, Spinach, and Potatoes meal.

Keep learning with us! Next, we’ll explore the diagnosis and treatment process and introduce you to the types of professionals who would be in the treatment team.

Published: 03/18/2021 2:20 PM