what alternative treatment is available for swallowing problems

Medication

Difficulty swallowing associated with GERD can be treated with prescription oral medications to reduce stomach acid. You may need to take these medications for an extended period. If you have eosinophilic esophagitis, you may need corticosteroids. If you have esophageal spasm, smooth muscle relaxants may help.

Procedures

Treatment for dysphagia depends on the type or cause of your swallowing disorder. For oropharyngeal dysphagia, your health care provider might refer you to a speech or swallowing therapist. Therapy might include: Learning exercises.

Therapy

Certain exercises might help coordinate your swallowing muscles or restimulate the nerves that trigger the swallowing reflex. Learning swallowing techniques. You might also learn ways to place food in your mouth or position your body and head to help you swallow.

Nutrition

Specialists, including gastroenterologists, radiologists, ear, nose and throat doctors and speech-language pathologists, examine swallowing X-rays, discuss cases and create personalized treatment plans. Once your doctor diagnoses the exact type of swallowing disorder you have, an individualized treatment plan can begin immediately. Medication.

What are the treatment options for difficulty swallowing?

What is the treatment for dysphagia?

How can I improve my ability to swallow food?

What kind of Doctor treats swallowing disorders?

How do you cure difficulty swallowing?

Try eating smaller, more frequent meals. Cut your food into smaller pieces, chew food thoroughly and eat more slowly. If you have difficulty swallowing liquids, there are products you can buy to thicken liquids. Trying foods with different textures to see if some cause you more trouble.

Can a swallowing disorder be fixed?

In some cases, treating the underlying cause, such as mouth cancer or oesophageal cancer, can help relieve swallowing problems. Treatment for dysphagia may be managed by a group of specialists that may include a speech and language therapist (SLT), a dietitian and, possibly, a surgeon.

What kind of doctor treats difficulty swallowing?

If swallowing is difficult on a regular basis, you should see an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist. People normally swallow hundreds of times a day to eat solids, drink liquids, and swallow the normal saliva and mucus that the body produces.

What is the best medicine for dysphagia?

Your gastroenterologist may prescribe corticosteroids, antacids, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), and muscle relaxants to treat the cause of your esophageal dysphagia.

What is the procedure to treat dysphagia?

If the swallowing issue is due to a narrow esophagus or a tight muscle in the esophagus, a medical professional may recommend a surgical procedure called myotomy. In this procedure, a surgeon cuts ...

What is the name of the disorder that causes a person to swallow?

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), dysphagia happens when there is a problem with the structures, muscles, and neural control of the swallowing process. Weak muscles in the tongue or cheek, stroke, another nervous system disorder, surgery, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), tumors, ...

Why is dysphagia more common in elderly people?

Dysphagia is more common in the elderly due to weak throat muscles. Luckily, there are several dysphagia treatment options available depending on the cause and severity of the condition.

What causes food to get stuck in throat?

Esophageal dysphagia: This is feeling the sensation of food getting stuck to the base of your throat or in your chest after you’ve started the swallowing process. This is where GERD, tumors, a narrowed esophagus, or built up tissue in the throat may cause dysphagia.

How to prevent dysphagia?

Although practicing good oral care won't directly relieve dysphagia, it's crucial to preventing and minimizing swallowing issues. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily in between teeth with a water flosser or other interdental cleaning device.

Can dysphagia be solved?

In cases where dysphagia can’t be solved, eating and swallowing techniques can help you cope with this condition ...

What to do if you have difficulty swallowing?

Severe dysphagia. If difficulty swallowing prevents you from eating and drinking adequately, your doctor may recommend: A special liquid diet. This may help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid dehydration. A feeding tube. In severe cases of dysphagia, you may need a feeding tube to bypass the part of your swallowing mechanism ...

How to help someone who is having trouble swallowing?

If you have trouble swallowing, be sure to see a doctor and follow his or her advice. Also, some things you can try to help ease your symptoms include: Changing your eating habits. Try eating smaller, more-frequent meals. Be sure to cut your food into smaller pieces, chew food thoroughly and eat more slowly.

What is the best treatment for throat narrowing?

Surgery. Surgery may be recommended to relieve swallowing problems caused by throat narrowing or blockages, including bony outgrowths, vocal cord paralysis, pharyngoesophageal diverticulum, GERD and achalasia, or to treat esophageal cancer. Speech and swallowing therapy is usually helpful after surgery.

How to treat esophageal dysphagia?

For a tight esophageal sphincter (achalasia) or an esophageal stricture, your doctor may use an endoscope with a special balloon attached to gently stretch and expand the width of your esophagus or pass a flexible tube or tubes to stretch ...

What is the treatment for oropharyngeal dysphagia?

Oropharyngeal dysphagia. For oropharyngeal dysphagia, your doctor may refer you to a speech or swallowing therapist, and therapy may include: Learning exercises. Certain exercises may help coordinate your swallowing muscles or restimulate the nerves that trigger the swallowing reflex. Learning swallowing techniques.

How to help with dysphagia?

Learning swallowing techniques. You may also learn ways to place food in your mouth or to position your body and head to help you swallow. You may be taught exercises and new swallowing techniques to help compensate for dysphagia caused by neurological problems such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease.

What type of surgery is used to treat dysphagia?

The type of surgical treatment depends on the cause for dysphagia. Some examples are: Laparoscopic Heller myotomy, which is used to cut the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus (sphincter) when it fails to open and release food into the stomach in people who have achalasia. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).

What is the best treatment for eating disorders?

In most cases, your doctor will recommend a combination of treatments, including one-on-on or group counseling, and medications.

Why do people use alternative therapies?

Some people find alternative treatments as a helpful boost to more traditional therapies that their doctor recommends. Many people with eating disorders find these treatments helpful in improving their condition. Read on to learn what alternative therapies people have used in their recovery journey.

How to recover from eating disorder?

An important part of recovering from an eating disorder is learning how to maintain better overall health. Incorporating healthy lifestyle habits and choices may help with managing an eating disorder. These steps can include: practicing self-care such as regular exercise, maintaining meals, and sleep.

Does acupuncture help with eating disorders?

Research shows that incorporating several sessions of acupuncture alongside existing eating disorder treatments can significantly improve: symptoms of depression. physical health. mental health. sense of control and social support. Some people prefer acupuncture because it’s a drug-free treatment.

Who can help you with meal planning?

A doctor, therapist, or other health professionals can help you or someone you know establish new routines. They can also refer other resources and community services for information and support. If you can’t find the right dietitian, online resources can help with developing a healthy meal plan.

Is alternative therapy effective for eating disorders?

The takeaway. No alternative therapies are as effective as traditional treatments, when it comes to eating disorders. But some people do find alternative therapies helpful. Alternative treatments such as body awareness therapy can improve a person’s overall sense of self-esteem.

What is the best treatment for GERD?

Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine that’s been around for at least 4,000 years. It uses small needles to rebalance energy flow and stimulate healing. Only recently are there clinical trials studying the effectiveness of acupuncture for GERD. One clinical trial.

How to treat GERD?

Some of the best treatments for GERD are lifestyle changes. These changes include: Quitting smoking : Smoking affects LES tone and increases reflux. Not only will quitting smoking reduce GERD, but it can also reduce your risk for other health complications.

What is the name of the disease where food and stomach acid travel back up the esophagus?

Acid reflux is also known as indigestion or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It occurs when the valve between the esophagus and stomach doesn’t function properly. When the valve (lower esophageal sphincter, LES, or cardiac sphincter) malfunctions, food and stomach acid can travel back up the esophagus and cause a burning sensation.

How to reduce GERD symptoms?

Learning how to manage stress can help with these triggers. Massage, deep breathing, meditation, and yoga may all help reduce symptoms of GERD. Yoga in particular encourages the relaxation response.

How to get rid of stomach acid in kids?

Baking soda. As an antacid, baking soda can help temporarily neutralize stomach acid and provide relief. For adults and teenagers, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon in a 4-ounce glass of water. Talk to your doctor about the dosage for children.

What is hypnosis for digestive health?

Hypnotherapy, or clinical hypnosis, is the practice of helping a person reach a concentrated, focused state. For digestive health, hypnotherapy is shown to reduce: abdominal pain. unhealthy bowel patterns. bloating.

Does melatonin help with epigastric pain?

Melatonin can reduce: incidence of epigastric pain. LES pressure. pH level of your stomach (how acidic your stomach is) In one study from 2010, they compared the effectiveness of taking omeprazole (a common medication used to treat GERD), melatonin, and a combination of melatonin and omeprazole.

What is NG tube feeding?

Enteral feedings, such as those received through nasogastric (NG) tubes or percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) tubes, are typically indicated for those patients who have a functional gastrointestinal tract but are unable to meet nutritional needs by mouth. Tube feeding may be considered when the patient has a swallowing impairment that precludes eating and impacts nutritional needs—provided that the gut is functional and that the patient can tolerate placement of the device (American Gastroenterological Association, 1995; Bischoff et. al, 2020; Ojo et al., 2019).

Does tube size affect swallow function?

Tube size may vary and may influence swallow function. The patient, with their proxy, then chooses to accept or reject use of alternative nutrition and hydration following a shared-decision-making, informed-consent discussion. The following Chart (see Table 1) identifies key factors associated with ANH.

Is enteral nutrition good for dementia?

Currently available research and clinical guidance (e.g., from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] and the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition [ESPEN]) suggest that enteral nutrition is a reasonable option for management in patients with mild or moderate dementia if malnutrition is primarily caused by a reversible condition (e.g., depression, infection, pain, poor oral health) and only for a limited time (NICE, 2018; Volkert et al., 2015). It is discouraged in those with advanced dementia. Enteral nutrition in those with dementia has not been found to positively impact survivability, infection prevention, or quality of life (Finucane et al., 1999; Garrow et al., 2007; Sampson et al., 2009). The impact of enteral nutrition on prevention of aspiration pneumonia is inconclusive (see Orlandoni et al., 2020, for a more complete discussion of recent evidence). Restricted communication abilities characteristic of dementia may make it further difficult to determine the effect of interventions such as PEG-tube placement on quality of life.

Is supplementation a trial?

Supplemental Feeding Options for Principal Nutrition via ANH. Supplemental feeding is often considered a “trial” as part of a dysphagia treatment plan, with a larger goal of increasing oral intake and reducing reliance on enteral nutrition.

Can you have dry mouth with ANH?

Symptoms such as dry mouth may be present even when the body is adequately hydrated via ANH. In this situation, the discomfort associated with dry mouth may be relieved with ice chips, sips of water, lip moisteners, mouth moisturizers, and oral care.

Does ANH help with gastric reflux?

Similarly, patients with dysphagia may aspirate gastric reflux or vomit.

What is the best way to make bolus easier to swallow?

Thickeners are another easy solution for swallowing assistance, as making liquids thicker slows their progress in the mouth and is another way to make the bolus easier to control. These products are available in a range of different formulas, usually made with cornstarch or maltodextrin, coming in both pre-measured and loose quantities depending on your needs and how thick you need to make your food or drink.

What is dysphagia disorder?

What is dysphagia? Dysphagia is a disorder categorized by difficulties in the first or second stage of the swallowing process.

What is a dysphagia cup?

Dysphagia Cups. These cups are specifically designed to combat the problems that patients with dysphagia encounter. One of the most common swallowing postures taught to people with dysphagia is to sit up straight and tuck the chin down, this helps facilitate the proper muscle movements of an effective swallow.

What is a drinking aid?

Drinking aids are typically designed to limit the amount of liquid that a person brings into their mouth. This makes the bolus, or ball of food/beverage as it mixes with saliva in the mouth, easier to control as it moves through the mouth and throat.

Diagnosis

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Preparing For Your Appointment