Dysphagia: How to Identify Symptoms and Understand

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Dysphagia is a condition that can cause pain when swallowing, frequent choking, coughing, and a sensation of food being stuck.

The symptoms of dysphagia indicate that something is wrong. It is necessary to seek a doctor to make the diagnosis through an endoscopy, otherwise the person can develop a state of malnutrition.

Generally, in addition to the digestive endoscopy exam, the investigation can also be done through esophageal manometry and X-rays of the esophagus with contrast.

Read more: Difficulty swallowing: understand about dysphagia

Understand, below, more about the disease, its symptoms, and learn how to identify it.

What is dysphagia

Dysphagia is characterized by difficulty swallowing food, whether solid or liquid. To understand how dysphagia influences the digestive process, it is important to know that swallowing consists of three phases: oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal.

In this case, the first phase occurs voluntarily, while the other two involuntarily. When there are signs of abnormality in these last two, the diagnosis will most likely indicate dysphagia.

What are the complications?

Dysphagia can have some complications, especially if the condition negatively influences the patient’s nutritional status, which occurs due to reduced consumption of water and nutrients.

The difficulty in swallowing leads the person to eat less. Consequently, the body stops receiving all the necessary nutrients for its proper functioning.

As a consequence of a weakened diet, the person begins to suffer from nutritional deficiency, possibly entering a state of malnutrition that tends to worsen over time (if dysphagia is not properly treated).

Identifying dysphagia

Follow some of the main symptoms of dysphagia and see how it can be identified through endoscopy:

Symptoms

• Difficulty in chewing food;
• Difficulty swallowing;
• Coughing during or after a meal;
• Delay in swallowing;
• Frequent choking (during meals) or unexpected;
• Sensation of shortness of breath or tiredness when eating;
• Sensation of something stuck in the throat;
• Unjustifiable weight loss;
• Recurrent pneumonia (in more severe cases).

Exams

In addition to the symptoms indicated above, the identification of dysphagia is also made through exams.

Starting with the clinical exam, it is important to evaluate the patient’s history and understand if they feel discomfort when swallowing or a sensation of something stuck in the central region of the chest, for example. At a second moment, the patient is advised to undergo a high digestive endoscopy (HDE), which allows a clearer view of the esophagus and the possibility of removing material for biopsy.

Actions that can help deal with dysphagia

• Perform all meals with an upright back to help the swallowing process occur more easily;
• Base your diet on softer foods, such as soup, puree, or finely chopped foods;
• Have a meal routine at times when you are more alert and willing;
• Remove distractions at mealtime, such as computers, cell phones, and television;
• Chew slowly, taking as much time as necessary.

Dysphagia: follow all the information about it and learn how endoscopy is done

Through the EndoBlog, you can follow the main information about dysphagia and, more than that, how endoscopy exams are performed, with tips for preparing and how to eat after the procedure, for example.

Browse the EndoBlog and check out all the materials on dysphagia and endoscopy, elastic ligation of esophageal varices and much more

Also read: Endoscopic treatment of stomach varices | High Digestive Endoscopy | Intragastric balloon