Major causes of Dysphagia: Difficulty swallowing food | Best ENT Doctor in Dwarka

The simple act of swallowing often goes unnoticed. It is a complex process involving 50 pairs of muscles and nerves. When this process fails, the result is dysphagia. This medical term means difficulty swallowing food. The condition can range from a slight discomfort to complete inability to move food. Many people wonder dysphagia what is and what causes it. The difficulty can involve solids, liquids, or both substances. If you search for dysphagia meaning in Hindi, the term is often translated as ‘nigalne mein kathinai’. It is more than just a sore throat pain. Dysphagia can lead to serious health issues. These problems include weight loss and aspiration pneumonia. Finding the root cause is the first step toward effective treatment. We will explore the many reasons why this problem occurs.

Main Problem Areas in Swallowing

Swallowing happens in two key phases. Problems in either area can cause dysphagia. Knowing the location helps doctors find the correct cause.

• Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: This is the first phase issue. The problem happens in the mouth and throat. The food cannot be moved from the mouth to the top of the esophagus. This is often caused by nerve or muscle damage. It makes starting the swallow very hard. The patient may cough or choke when they eat. Food or liquid can enter the windpipe easily.
• Esophageal Dysphagia: This is the second phase problem. The food gets stuck in the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube leading to the stomach. It feels like food is stuck in your chest or throat area. This type of dysphagia esophageal is often caused by a blockage or spasm.

Both types need detailed investigation by a ENT specialist. An ENT doctor in Dwarka, Delhi often helps diagnose the oropharyngeal type.

Causes of Swallowing Difficulty

Many cases of oropharyngeal dysphagia start in the brain or nervous system. Damage to these nerves interferes with muscle coordination. The signals that tell the throat muscles to squeeze are faulty.

• Stroke: This is a major cause of dysphagia. A stroke damages brain areas that control swallowing. Recovery often includes intensive swallowing therapy.
• Parkinson’s Disease: This disease affects nerve control of muscles. It can lead to weak, uncoordinated swallowing. Drooling is often seen alongside this symptom.
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS): This disorder attacks the central nervous system. It creates widespread nerve damage. Swallowing difficulties are common as the disease progresses.
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): ALS causes muscle weakness that worsens over time. This includes the muscles needed for swallowing food and liquids.
• Myasthenia Gravis: This condition causes muscle weakness. The muscles get tired easily. This makes eating a whole meal very hard work.

In these neurological cases, speech pathologists offer specific dysphagia therapy in Delhi. The therapy strengthens the remaining muscle function. This helps prevent serious complications like choking.

Structural Issues in the Esophagus

Problems that physically block or narrow the food tube cause dysphagia esophageal. These issues are structural. They stop food from moving down smoothly

• Strictures: These are narrow areas in the esophagus. They are usually caused by scar tissue. Severe, long-term acid reflux causes this scarring. It slowly shrinks the space available for food
• Tumors: A tumor in the esophagus can grow and obstruct the passage. This makes swallowing solids progressively harder over time. This needs urgent investigation by an ENT specialist in Dwarka
• Esophageal Ring (Schatzki Ring): This is a small band of tissue. It forms near the junction of the esophagus and stomach. It causes intermittent difficulty, especially with solid foods
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE): This is a chronic allergic condition. It causes inflammation and swelling inside the esophagus. This inflammation makes the tube narrow.

These blockages usually mean the patient needs medical or surgical dilation. Dilation carefully stretches the narrowed area.

Swallowing Problem Disorders

Motility disorders involve problems with muscle movement. The esophagus cannot squeeze correctly. It loses its ability to push food toward the stomach.

• Achalasia: This disorder is severe. The lower esophageal sphincter muscle fails to relax. It stays tightly closed. This prevents food from entering the stomach. The upper part of the esophagus may swell up a lot.
• Diffuse Esophageal Spasm: The muscle contractions are disorganized and uncoordinated. They are strong, painful, and ineffective at moving the food. This condition is sometimes called “nutcracker esophagus.”
• Scleroderma: This autoimmune disease affects connective tissue. It can weaken the lower esophageal muscles. They fail to close properly. This causes severe, frequent acid reflux.

These disorders require ENT medicines or minimally invasive procedures. These procedures relax the overly tight lower sphincter muscle. ENT Doctors in Delhi use Botox injections or a specific cutting technique. This cutting is called Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM).

Rare Vascular Causes of Dysphagia

One very rare structural cause is dysphagia lusoria. This cause is congenital, meaning it is present from birth. It is caused by an abnormal routing of a large blood vessel. Usually, the subclavian artery or aortic arch takes an unusual path. This vessel then wraps around the esophagus. The artery presses on the food tube. This external pressure causes the swallowing difficulty. It is often mild and only noticeable with large, solid food pieces. This condition is usually found when doctors look for other problems. Treatment depends on how severe the compression is. Sometimes, surgery is needed to reposition the troublesome artery. This condition is a good example of the many dysphagia causes.

Dysphagia Symptoms 

• Coughing or Gagging: This happens during or immediately after swallowing food.
• Choking: A frightening, immediate inability to breathe.
• Sensation of Food Stuck: The feeling that food is trapped in the chest.
• Regurgitation: Food comes back up after swallowing attempts.
• Weight Loss: This happens because the patient is not eating enough food.
• Pain: A painful feeling when trying to swallow.

If these dysphagia symptoms persist, see an ENT best doctor Delhi right away. Do not delay seeking medical help.

Dysphagia Treatment in Delhi

Treatment always depends on the exact dysphagia causes. There are simple dysphagia treatment at home methods.

• Diet Modification: This is the easiest step. Eat soft, pureed foods. Thicken liquids to make them easier to control.
• Posture Changes: Sometimes tilting the head or chin helps. A speech therapist teaches safe swallowing techniques.

Dysphagia is a complicated disease and it has numerous causes. You need a thorough systematic method to diagnose it. Since it is essential to control the symptoms of dysphagia, and conduct specific surgeries, professional care is the key. The identification of a specialist guarantees the best outcomes. Such specialists as Dr Payal Bhattacharjee can be addressed by patients who want to get assistance with swallowing issues. She is a famous ENT specialist her practice covers complex ENT disorders including swallowing disorders of the oropharynx. This is because she is credited with giving proper diagnosis and customized dysphagia treatment in Delhi. Get professional assistance to get a proper diagnosis and get a personalized treatment plan.

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