Difficulty Swallowing
Learn How We Help You With Difficulty Swallowing
If you’re experiencing difficulty swallowing, it’s likely a problem with your throat or esophagus is causing the issue. It’s possible that either something is blocking the esophagus or that the muscles that make the food move down your throat are not working correctly. Silent acid reflux is another common cause of difficulty swallowing, as is an enlarged thyroid gland.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENTTreatment Options for Difficulty Swallowing
Having difficulty swallowing can be very frustrating. The first step toward bringing you relief is getting to the root of the problem. After taking a detailed history and performing a thorough exam, we examine the back of the throat with a small scope that is about the size of a strand of spaghetti. We place it gently in the nostril and move it slowly toward the back so that we can perform a comprehensive evaluation of the areas of the throat that are not visible by simply looking through the mouth with a tongue depressor. With this scope, we are able to see the voice box and the opening of the esophagus. For some patients, additional testing needs to be ordered including imaging and a test that evaluates your ability to swallow. Treatment is designed to address the root of the swallowing problem and may involve medications or in some instances surgery.
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