Treat Swallowing Problems

Difficulty swallowing is called “dysphagia” in technical language and can have numerous causes. Especially in winter, colds can trigger unpleasant swallowing problems with sore throat. However, the discomfort does not always have to be accompanied by pain, sometimes you just have the feeling of a lump in your throat. Thus, symptoms can be divided into dysphagia with sore throat and dysphagia without sore throat.

Chronic dysphagia

Swallowing symptoms may be acute in onset or prolonged in duration, that is, chronic. For example, a common cause of chronic swallowing difficulties is benign enlargement of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency. Treatment with home remedies can provide relief for swallowing difficulties, but a doctor should be consulted if symptoms persist.

Causes of dysphagia

The causes of swallowing difficulties are varied, as different structures and functions are involved in the act of swallowing. Thus, the cause may be in the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, or even the entrance to the stomach. The swallowing disorder is usually only the symptom of a disease and not the disease itself. Thus, for treatment, it is important to know the cause.

  • The causes of problems with swallowing in the mouth and pharynx include, above all, inflammation of the tonsils or larynx, as well as acute pharyngitis in the context of a cold. Those affected then suffer from swallowing difficulties with severe sore throat and foreign body sensation in the throat. Furthermore, burns of the mucous membrane can make swallowing difficult.
  • Narrowing of the esophagus, for example due to tumors, can cause difficulty swallowing. Also, bulges in the wall of the esophagus can hinder the passage of food. Often, the affected person has to gag and the food ingested can not pass easily.
  • If the function of the sphincter at the entrance to the stomach is disturbed, patients often suffer from acid reflux and heartburn, which can then in turn trigger swallowing difficulties.
  • An enlarged thyroid gland can also be the cause of difficulty swallowing. This enlargement may rarely be caused by a tumor, but is mostly a benign response of the organ to iodine deficiency. In people with iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland cannot work adequately, and hypothyroidism develops. Then the thyroid gland tries to meet the demands of metabolism by enlarging and forming a larger surface area to absorb the iodine. Thus, the thyroid gland tries to produce enough hormones despite the lack of iodine. There are different stages of an enlarged thyroid gland: from barely palpable enlargement to the restriction of food passage, swallowing and breathing, to an externally clearly visible goiter.
  • If a tumor in the neck is the cause of the swallowing difficulties, they may also feel unilateral.
  • Severe neurological diseases are often a cause of chronic swallowing difficulties. Stroke patients, as well as patients with dementia, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease often have difficulty controlling the swallowing act and suffer from massive swallowing difficulties. A common complication in these patients can also be the “swallowing” of food into the lungs, which can cause severe pneumonia.
  • Less common causes are genetic defects in which the muscles are not fully developed, making it difficult to swallow food.
  • Children occasionally swallow foreign bodies, which can cause swallowing difficulties.
  • Psychological (mood) disorders, which usually occur unconsciously, can also be a common cause of swallowing difficulties.

Treat swallowing difficulties with home remedies

For the proper treatment of swallowing difficulties, it is very important to know the exact cause. For simple throat irritation or dry mucous membranes, home remedies can work wonders, but further medication or medical intervention may be necessary. Suitable home remedies for the treatment of swallowing difficulties are numerous. Sufferers should always drink plenty of fluids to keep mucous membranes moist and relieve inflammation. Warm milk with honey, a hot lemon or warm soups are good home remedies.Herbal teas can improve swallowing problems if the herbs have a soothing effect. For example, thyme and sage are particularly suitable. A scarf and warm compresses are helpful for inflammation of the throat. For colds with a stuffy nose, inhalations with salt water help to loosen mucus in the airways and nose. This is a simple, cheap and very effective home remedy. Smokers should definitely stop smoking.

Difficulty swallowing due to iodine deficiency

To prevent enlargement of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency, it is important to get enough iodine in the diet by eating fish regularly, for example. If the swallowing difficulties are accompanied by severe pain, pain-relieving tablets can also be taken.

Treatment according to severity

Symptoms that persist for several days or worsen despite treatment with home remedies must be clarified by a doctor, because malignant diseases can also trigger the difficulty in swallowing. Depending on the severity, it may be necessary for the physician to feed the patient with a feeding tube. If the swallowing difficulties are due to a neurological muscular disease, swallowing exercises may help. Treatment of tumors depends on the type, size, and location of the growth; in principle, surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy may be therapy of choice.

Swallowing problems in old age

Difficulty swallowing is particularly common in the elderly, who suffer from various chronic diseases that can cause and exacerbate swallowing problems. In addition, taste perception and appetite often change in the elderly, and they absorb less food and liquid. Thus, the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat become very dry and swallowing difficulties worsen.