Dysphagia simply means trouble swallowing. When a patient has dysphagia it can lead to other problems including aspiration pneumonia, failure to thrive, and severe dehydration. While the disorder is commonly seen in elderly patients, there are a variety of medical conditions that can cause dysphagia and affect patients of any age.
Disorders causing Dysphagia or requiring Enteral Feeding Support
Neurological Disorders:
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Amyotropic lateral sclerosis
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple system atrophy
- Dementia
- Head injuries
Muscular and Connective Tissue Disorders:
- Dermatomyostis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Scleroderma
- Mechanical obstruction of the esophagus
- Myasthenia gravis
- Sjögren's Syndrome
Esophageal Disorders:
- Esophageal compressions
- Esophageal strictures
- Schatzki rings
- Achalasia
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
- Esophageal cancer
- Esophagitis
Various conditions:
- Head cancer
- Neck cancer
- Chron’s disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Advanced cancers
- Renal system failure
- Hepatic system failure