Very few people imagine it, but dysphagia is a very common disorder: let’s find out together what exactly it is and how to intervene.
Have you ever heard of dysphagia? We are talking about a very common disorder, which – in the majority of cases – is attributable to passing causes which should not cause alarm but it is always advisable to ascertain that it is not an alarm signal due to a serious illness in progress.
Dysphagia usually appears around the age of 50, but younger people can also experience this problem. Among the most common causes is the stress, but its appearance may also be due to the existence of an ongoing pathology. Swallowing becomes difficult if not impossible and in severe cases can give rise to chronic diseases and increase the risk of suffocation.
People with dysphagia are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, dehydration e respiratory pathology. Furthermore, difficulties in social interactions increase, leading the subjects who suffer from it to isolate themselves, with the risk of developing depression, anxiety and phobias.
Dysphagia causes and remedies of a little known pathology
In Italy the phenomenon of dysphagia is mostly found in the elderly, it is estimated that 1 in 5 subjects is over 50 years old. Dysphagia can concern both the objective difficulty in swallowing solid and liquid foods and, as mentioned, it can be the symptom of neurological diseases or neurodegenerative.
For this reason it is very important to contact the doctor who will perform the esophageal manometry a test to understand if the subject is really affected by the disorder, generally the specialist who performs it is a otolaryngologist. The professional will indicate the most suitable therapy, starting from diet and exercises logopedia.
The basic rules to follow if you suspect you are suffering from the disorder are simple, the first which is essential is to contact the middle finger, then it is possible to combine some good habits. First of all it is important eat sitting down, therefore, hit and run lunches are banned.
The back should be leaned well against the back of the chair, the chin at the moment of swallowing it is brought towards the chest. While eating, one must remain silent and chew slowlyTherefore, distractions such as watching television or the telephone should be avoided.
Food should be swallowed only after chewing, it should be absolutely avoided to swallow pieces of food that are not chewed enough. Mixed consistencies should also be banned, such as, for example, pasta in broth and, for drinking, the use of a straw.