At ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP we specialize in assessing and treating voice and swallowing issues. Our expert faculty is committed to advancing knowledge in this field through education. We offer a range of innovative office-based procedures for diagnosis and treatment. Trust us to help you speak and eat with confidence.

What Makes It Difficult to Swallow?

Swallowing involves two connected physiologic events: airway protection, to prevent choking during eating, and bolus transport, the movement of food from the mouth to the stomach. All swallowing disorders can be traced to some malfunction of one or both events. The diagnostic tests and therapeutic maneuvers that take place address the issues of airway protection and bolus transport.

Do you have trouble swallowing, coughing, choking, or handling food and secretions safely? If so, you may be experiencing dysphagia, which is any difficulty with swallowing reported by the patient. As insignificant as a swallowing problem may seem, it can escalate into a serious condition if not addressed early enough. The most obvious symptom of a swallowing problem is difficulty swallowing, but this is not always the case. Another symptom includes severe throat dryness, which can be caused by a variety of medical conditions or as a side effect of medications. 

Other symptoms of a swallowing problem include:

• Difficulty chewing food
• Difficulty moving chewed food to the throat
• Difficulty initiating a swallow
• Coughing or choking when eating and/or drinking
• Food gets “stuck” when swallowing
• Regurgitation or vomiting food or liquid during or after swallowing
• History of acid reflux
• Difficulty coordinating swallowing with normal meal conversation
• Shortness of breath while eating or drinking
• Lump in throat feeling
• Loss of taste or smell
• Breathy or weak voice