Difficulty Swallowing (Dysphagia)
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing: food or drink sticking in the throat or chest, taking longer to go down, or causing pain. It can come from the mouth and throat, often after a stroke or with nerve and muscle conditions, or from the gullet (the oesophagus), where causes include acid damage and narrowing from long-standing reflux, infections, muscle problems and oesophageal cancer. In Nigeria people often adapt by switching to soft food and drinking more water with meals, and seek care late, by which time weight has been lost. Difficulty swallowing in an adult is a warning sign in its own right and needs a gastroscopy soon, not a wait to see whether it passes.
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Symptoms
- Food sticking in the throat or behind the breastbone
- Pain when swallowing
- Needing to drink water to wash food down, or moving to soft food
- Coughing or choking when eating or drinking
- Bringing food back up soon after swallowing
- Weight loss
- Heartburn or a hoarse voice
When to See a Doctor
See a doctor promptly for any new difficulty swallowing that lasts more than a few days, at any age: it needs a gastroscopy rather than antacids or herbal remedies, and more urgently if you are losing weight or it is getting worse. Go to an emergency department now if food is stuck and you cannot swallow your own saliva, if you vomit blood, or if difficulty swallowing comes on suddenly with a drooping face, weak arm or slurred speech, which can be a stroke.
Treatment options
- Gastroscopy to look at the gullet and take biopsies of anything abnormal
- A swallowing assessment by a speech and language therapist when the problem is in the throat
- Acid-reducing medicine when reflux has inflamed the gullet
- Stretching (dilatation) of a narrowing during gastroscopy
- Further tests such as a barium swallow or pressure studies when the gullet muscles are suspected
- Specialist cancer treatment when a tumour is found
What it costs on Mezo
Published cash prices for the operations used to treat this condition. Your own quote follows an examination.
Common Questions
Can difficulty swallowing be caused by stress?
Anxiety can cause a feeling of a lump in the throat, but true difficulty getting food down should never be put down to stress until a gastroscopy has ruled out a physical cause.
Is difficulty swallowing a sign of cancer?
It can be, which is why it is taken seriously, but most cases have other causes such as reflux damage, a narrowing or a muscle problem. A gastroscopy is how the cause is found.
What happens during a gastroscopy for swallowing problems?
A thin flexible camera is passed through the mouth into the gullet and stomach, usually with a throat spray or sedation. The doctor can take small samples and, if there is a narrowing, often stretch it during the same test.
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