Dysphagia

Dysphagia is the technical term for the symptom of the sensation of difficulty in swallowing. Dysphagia is usually a sign of underlying neurological deficits and/or disorders. The problem is generally diagnosed on history, where difficulty on initiation of swallowing suggests stroke or other neurologic disease, while dysphagia later in the course of swallowing suggests GERD, cancer, dystrophy, or a number of other medical conditions. Videographic Fluoroscopy (modified barium swallow evaluation) is standard for diagnosis of this condition.

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See also: stroke, degenerative neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease), reflux disease, and esophageal achalasia.

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Symptom: The term symptom (from the Greek syn = con/plus and pipto = fall, together meaning co-exist) has two similar meanings in the context of physical and mental health:...

Swallowing: Swallowing, known scientifically as deglutition, is the reflex in the human body that makes something pass from the mouth, through the esophagus. If this fails and the object goes through the trachea, then choking occurs if the airway is completely blocked, or pulmonary aspiration occurs if the obj...

Dystrophy: Dystrophy is any condition of abnormal development, often denoting the degeneration of muscles....