Complaints that can occur during the process of swallowing are known in medicine as dysphagia. Various causes can be responsible for the development of such complaints. Swallowing problems can be accompanied by pain or just the feeling of a lump in the throat and can be divided into acute and chronic.
Causes
The possible causes of swallowing difficulties can be very diverse. On the one hand, problems can occur in the mouth and throat. In most cases these are inflammatory processes affecting the tonsils or the larynx.
Those affected suffer from difficulty swallowing, which is accompanied by sore throat, a lump in the throat and general discomfort. Changes in the esophagus can also make swallowing more difficult. These include, for example, changes caused by tumors that impede the passage of food through the esophagus.
If the lower sphincter muscle at the entrance to the stomach does not work properly, gastric acid may reflux into the esophagus and cause heartburn, which can also lead to difficulty swallowing. Another cause can be an enlarged thyroid gland, which can be caused by an iodine deficiency or tumorous changes. Another important cause is complex neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or a stroke. These patients cannot control the swallowing process properly due to coordination disorders or possible paralysis and therefore also develop swallowing difficulties. Psychological disorders can also unconsciously cause swallowing difficulties.
Various household remedies for swallowing problems
Through simple and quickly applicable measures, one can try to relieve swallowing problems. Very popular and proven in their application, are well-known household remedies. They have been passed down for generations and are often used when you have no other medicines at hand or do not want to take them.
In the context of swallowing problems, various remedies are used, but generally all of them have a calming and above all anti-inflammatory effect. Onion compresses are often used in the treatment of swallowing difficulties. One or two onions are needed, which are cut into thin slices and briefly warmed in a pan.
Then they are wrapped in a kitchen towel and packed like a small bag. The bag is placed around the neck and wrapped with a scarf so that the wrap will hold. In this form the wrap should work for a few hours.
The onions relieve pain and can pull the inflammation out of the tissue and kill germs. Onion milk is also helpful. It does not taste very good, but it also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
One boils up milk and adds diced onions. The whole thing should work in a little and then be drunk warm. In addition to onion wraps, there are also other neck wraps that are used to treat swallowing problems.
Quark wraps are often used because quark has a cooling effect, which can be very pleasant for swallowing problems. One uses fresh curd cheese, which is put on a towel and then placed directly on the skin of the neck. Wrap a scarf around the whole thing and let it work for a few hours until the curd has dried.
Potato wraps are also helpful. In contrast to curd wraps, they generate heat, which relieves the pain and promotes the removal of the pathogens responsible for the inflammation. Gargling with salt water is also a well-known household remedy for swallowing problems and can be used several times a day.
Through gargling, the mucous membrane is kept moist, cleaned and the salty solution has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. You need one teaspoon of normal table salt, which is boiled up in about 300 – 400 milliliters of water. In case of severe swallowing problems, this gargle solution can be used every two hours.
Honey is often used in the addition to teas. In case of swallowing problems it is especially important to keep the mucous membranes moist so that no additional irritation occurs. Camomile and sage teas are often used because they have a calming effect on the mucous membranes and soothe irritation.By adding one teaspoon of honey, the healing of the inflammation in the mouth and throat area is accelerated, as it has an antibacterial effect.
If bee honey is used, it also reduces the swelling of the irritated and inflamed mucous membrane. The root of ginger has an anti-inflammatory effect and contains essential oils. Ginger can be used in the form of water, tea or soup for all kinds of inflammations.
Due to its anti-inflammatory effect, ginger causes the swelling of irritated mucous membranes in the throat area to subside and stimulates the blood circulation to strengthen the immune system. Ginger can easily be boiled up in water and with a little lemon and a spoonful of honey you can make a pleasant tasting tea that soothes swallowing problems and sore throats. It soothes and cleans the mucous membranes and has an antibacterial effect.
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