Dysphagia Treatment Options
Treatment for dysphagia varies based on the severity and cause of your condition. Your dental professional, medical professional, or speech-language pathologist may perform tests to evaluate your swallowing process and find out just where the difficulty is coming from.
- A Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing with Sensory Testing (FEESST) uses an endoscope to view your mouth and throat as it responds to stimuli like food and liquids.
- A Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFS) involves taking a filmed X-Ray of your swallowing process by having you consume food and liquids. These recorded images help pinpoint where your swallowing problems are coming from and what changes you swallow safely and effectively.
Once your medical professional identifies where your dysphagia is coming from, you can start developing a treatment plan. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), treatment options for dysphagia often help you live and cope with this condition or rehabilitate your swallowing muscles to help build strength.
In cases where dysphagia can’t be solved, eating and swallowing techniques can help you cope with this condition so that it’s less of a burden on your life. Treatments might include tucking your chin or turning your head a certain way to help food travel down the esophagus more efficiently or changing the consistency of the food you eat to help you swallow it with ease.
Rehabilitative approaches to dysphagia treatment aim to improve your swallowing ability, leading to a lasting improvement. Treatments might include exercises that build muscle strength in the face and esophagus or learning a swallowing technique that ensures the airway is blocked off, preventing food from traveling down the trachea into the lungs. Your medical professional may also recommend changing the way you eat. That might include taking smaller bites, chewing more thoroughly, eating softer food, or pureeing food.