Endoscopic video swallow studies and swallowing difficulties is the subject for this post. Swallowing difficulty cause : Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest that often occurs with a bitter taste in your throat or mouth. Find out how to recognize, treat, and prevent heartburn. Epiglottitis: Epiglottitis is characterized by inflamed tissue in your epiglottis. It’s a potentially life-threatening condition. Learn who gets it, why, and how it’s treated. This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Compensatory techniques alter the swallow when used but do not create lasting functional change. An example of a compensatory technique includes a head rotation, which is used during the swallow to direct the bolus toward one of the lateral channels of the pharyngeal cavity. Although this technique may increase swallow safety during the swallow, there is no lasting benefit or improvement in physiology when the technique is not used. The purpose of the technique is to compensate for deficits that cannot be or are not yet rehabilitated sufficiently. Rehabilitative techniques, such as exercises, are designed to create lasting change in an individual’s swallowing over time by improving underlying physiological function. The intent of many exercises is to improve function in the future rather than compensate for a deficit in the moment. See additional info on Swallowing disorders.
These diets are all nutritionally adequate. However, some patients may have difficulty taking enough fluid and food to get all the energy and nutrients they need. In this case, an adjustment to diet or treatment will be required. Fluids are essential to maintain body functions. Usually 6 to 8 cups of liquid (48-64 oz) are needed daily. For some dysphagia patients, this may present problems because thin liquid can be more difficult to swallow. In this case, fluid can be thickened to make it easier to swallow. However, close monitoring by the dysphagia team is required for anyone drinking less than 4 cups of thickened fluid a day or anyone not progressing to thin liquids within 4 weeks. The greater problem for some patients is eating enough calories. The whole process of eating simply becomes too difficult and too tiring. However, calorie and protein intake can be increased by fortifying the foods the patient does eat.
Dysphagia among hospitalized patients (particularly the elderly) not only lengthens hospital stays and increases the risk of dying, but also carries significant economic burdens. Research shows that hospital and rehab stays among patients with difficulty swallowing were almost double that of patients without dysphagia – with an estimated cost per year topping $547 billion (Altman K, et al., 2010). We would like to help reduce some of these costs by establishing programs or procedures for your facility that works best for your patients AND your team. See additional details at dysphagiainmotion.com.