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What is Dysphagia?

Dysphagia is difficulty chewing and/or swallowing.


Some symptoms include:

  • coughing when eating/drinking

  • consistent throat clearing

  • feeling food/liquid "go down the wrong pipe"

  • feeling food/liquid stuck in your throat

  • spilling food/liquid out of the mouth

  • unintentional weight loss

Swallowing occurs in three interconnected phases

1. Oral phase - responsible for containing food/liquid, mashing/preparing foods, and propelling them into the throat

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2. Pharyngeal phase - responsible for propelling food/liquid into the esophagus by squeezing the food/liquid swiftly downward while also having to protect the airway to prevent choking/aspiration

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3. Esophageal phaseresponsible for moving food/liquid from the throat to the stomach via peristaltic wave

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Dysphagia occurs when there is weakness or incoordination of the oropharyngeal muscles, leading to either food/liquid entering the airway toward the lungs (aspiration) or inability for the food/liquid to enter the esophagus toward the stomach (inefficiency). These difficulties can lead to aspiration pneumonia and/or malnutrition and dehydration. A speech-language pathologist can assist in diagnosing and treating dysphagia.

Here at Ascend Speech & Swallow...

we provide individualized swallowing therapy via rehabilitative exercise, compensatory strategies, and diet modifications, as indicated. Often times, imaging is required to identify impairments prior to treatment.

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We are certified providers of the McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program (MDTP), which systematically organizes swallowing activities using exercise physiology principles.

MDTP Certified Provider
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