Swallowing disorders in Adults

Consider the intricate process of eating. First, you must bring food or drink to your mouth, employing tools like forks, spoons, straws, or even your hands. Then, your mouth opens to welcome the food, and you close your lips to contain it. The next step involves chewing the food or maneuvering the liquid, preparing it for the final act—swallowing.

We all encounter occasional swallowing difficulties. It might be struggling to chew a tough piece of meat, having food trigger a gag reflex, or requiring extra effort to swallow. We’ve all experienced that moment when a sip of liquid ‘goes down the wrong way,’ leading to coughing and choking. However, individuals with a swallowing disorder, also known as dysphagia (dis-FAY-juh), face these challenges on a frequent basis.

The act of swallowing unfolds in three distinct stages or phases, each susceptible to potential problems:

Oral Phase (Mouth): This phase encompasses activities like sucking, chewing, and propelling food or liquid into the throat.
Pharyngeal Phase (Throat): Here, the swallow initiates, with food being propelled down the throat. An essential aspect is closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering it, which could lead to coughing and choking.
Esophageal Phase: This phase involves the opening and closing of the esophagus, the tube that connects the back of your throat to your stomach. The esophagus contracts to push food down to the stomach. In cases of esophageal issues or conditions like acid reflux (commonly known as indigestion or heartburn), food may become stuck in the esophagus, and frequent vomiting can occur.

If you or someone you know experiences challenges related to adult swallowing disorders, seeking professional guidance and evaluation can help identify the underlying issues and potential treatment options.

How Does a Speech Therapist Help with Adult Swallowing Disorders?

The Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) or Speech Therapist will discuss the symptoms that are bothering the patient. Then, they will review the medical history and undergo some medical tests such as a swallowing test and barium swallow test. During a barium swallow test, X-ray equipment is used to scan the movement and function of the patient’s mouth and throat while food or liquid travels down the oral cavity, up the throat, and into the esophagus.

Finally, depending on the diagnosis and the causes of the swallowing disorders, the speech therapists will create a treatment plan that includes specialized exercises to strengthen the oral and upper gastrointestinal muscles, as well as workaround solutions to help the patient swallow more comfortably and thoroughly.

Speech therapists commonly make the following recommendations:

A certain tongue thrusting action (lingual resistance) for strengthening the tongue muscles.
Exercises for improving strength through swallowing
Removable palatal plates and other customized oral devices are used as needed to increase oral stimulation and synchronization between lips and tongue.
Using thickeners to facilitate liquid swallowing
Consuming liquids and solids slowly.
Maintaining excellent posture (90 degrees between chin and throat), including elevating the chin, when swallowing.
Clearing the throat if there is a sensation of food stuck in the throat.
Education on healthy eating habits relevant to the illness that causes dysphagia.

Individualized Therapy for Adult Swallowing Disorders in New Delhi

If you or anyone who knows is having trouble swallowing, contact us right away for assistance rather than wasting time looking for speech therapy near me for swallowing disorders. We have experienced speech therapists in New Delhi at Asha Speech and Hearing Clinic. They will perform a thorough assessment and offer suitable advice or speech therapy to address the specific requirements of adult dysphagia or swallowing disorders.