The Complexities Of Swallowing And How To Cope With Dysphagia
The Process Involved In Swallowing And The Right Ways To Cope With Dysphagia
The process involved in swallowing is complex that involves the action of various organs. First, you chew food in your mouth and this involves the actions of the jaw, teeth, and tongue. The tongue then moves the food towards the pharynx or throat. The soft palate rises and the upper pharynx contracts as the food, which we now call bolus, moves into the upper part of the pharynx. The muscles of the neck pull the larynx up and the epiglottis closes the passage to the windpipe to keep food from getting into the trachea. Muscular contractions in the pharynx push the food downwards. At the same time, the upper esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow the bolus to pass through. This sphincter is kept closed under other instances when you aren't swallowing. This closure prevents regurgitation of acidic gastric contents into the upper esophagus. Note that there is another sphincter in the boundary between the stomach and the esophagus. Muscular contractions of the esophagus are termed as peristalsis and this wave of contractions pushes the food to the stomach.
As mentioned earlier, the mechanism involved in swallowing is complex and this complexity involves the brain, the nerves, and the muscles that work together in a well coordinated manner. For instance, the contraction of the muscles in the upper throat is an automated response, a reflex, in which no thought occurs. This response happens as quickly as when you jerk your finger right after touching a hot stove. The muscular contractions called peristaltic movement is also an automated function which you cannot control by will.
Swallowing is just as banal as breathing to most of us that we don't pay much attention to it. However, to some people, it is a dreadful thing. Swallowing difficulty is medically called dysphagia, which is caused by various conditions. People with this condition may find it troublesome to initiate swallowing or to push the food into the throat. There may also be problems when it comes to closure of the nasal passages or the shutting of the larynx during swallowing. Constriction of the esophageal sphincter can also cause a swallowing trouble as well as physical obstruction in the throat or in the esophagus. In some cases, it is the peristaltic movement that fails. In other words, if one of the many mechanisms of swallowing fails, swallowing can either be difficult or almost impossible.
The problem that causes dysphagia may originate somewhere in the throat or esophagus and this may involve narrowing of the esophagus or the pharynx. This narrowing of the passage of food causes difficulty in the movement of food. In many cases, damage to the nerves that innervate the muscles of the pharynx and esophagus may also cause the swallowing malady, or the muscles themselves are the problem. If the muscles in the throat and upper esophagus don't function normally, swallowing can become a torment.
You think this is a joke, but it's not. People who suffer from this condition suffer from a great ordeal, considering eating and swallowing are vital human activities which don't have substitutes. There is no alternative to swallowing. All the nutrition you need is supplied by food which gets into your body through eating and swallowing. If these functions are hampered in any way, you could suffer from serious malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies. In other words, while swallowing difficulty is in itself distressing, its effects to your health and nutrition are worrisome. Another saddening thing is that there is no medication. It is not like headache which can be relieved after taking a headache pill. This one is managed through a series of coping techniques to help you swallow in a better, safer way.
It is extremely important to get screened medically once you experience swallowing problems for you to get prompt treatment and for you to find out the underlying condition.
About the Author
Jo is a content writer for 'Dysphagia' (http://www.dysphagia.org.uk), a website owned by Fresenius Kabi, a medical treatment company concentrating in certain fields of infusion theraphy and clinical nutrition having more than fifteen(15) years experience of providing people who have swallowing difficulties with Thick & Easy™, Britain's premier instant food thickener. If ever you have or know somebody who has swallowing problems then check out Dysphagia.org.uk.
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