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Suggest Treatment For Difficulty Swallowing

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Posted on Fri, 3 Jul 2015
Question: Have already written it. I have a hard time swallowing during a meal.
Firmly grained meat, like pork, beef, bacon chips get stuck in my
throat and won't allow me to swallow food in my mouth. Trying
to throw it up, frequently doesn't work. I get a lot of phlegm but often, not the small piece of food causing the problem.
What to do?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (21 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Could be problem in the esophagus

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I would like more information for a better assessment of your situation. First of all, do you have any problem at all with fluids? With water for example? Can you swallow water without any discomfort? Do you have to cough after drinking water because some of it went into your larynx? Do you have any neurological condition like Parkinson's disease, stroke, etc
Do you have any eye problems, like feeling an irritating foreign body in your eyes all the time? Can you eat cookies without drinking water?
Also, when you swallow, do you feel like the food gets stuck somewhere behind your chest? Do you have burning sensation on the chest sometimes? Do you have acid reflux?

Your situation can be attributed to any of the following:
- neurological problems (I can't say what the cause is, it would need investigation) which may impair the swallowing process.
- esophageal problems like a tumor (which blocks the way and will prevent solid food to reach the stomach unless chewed very diligently). Esophagitis may also cause a similar symptom.

Depending on the cause, a different course of action is required. Please provide the details, I've asked for and I'll be glad to give a more complete answer.

Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (14 minutes later)
I don't have a problem with fluids. No coughing. No Parkinson's, stroke, no eye
problem. Cookies go down fine w/o fluid. No chest involvement. However, I
do have acid reflux--in spades! Thanks for trying to help. Keep thinking, pse.

XXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
could be the esophagus

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the input!
No problem with water means that the swallowing process is probably intact. If it weren't, then you should have felt like drowning after drinking water.
The acid-reflux is a sign that the esophagus needs assessment. The symptoms could be attributed to esophagitis. Proton pump inhibitors and perhaps prokinetic agents may help with the symptoms but an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy would be required to fully assess the situation (mostly to exclude less common causes but also to assess the severity of a potential esophagitis).

Kind Regards!
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3809 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Difficulty Swallowing

Brief Answer: Could be problem in the esophagus Detailed Answer: Hello, I would like more information for a better assessment of your situation. First of all, do you have any problem at all with fluids? With water for example? Can you swallow water without any discomfort? Do you have to cough after drinking water because some of it went into your larynx? Do you have any neurological condition like Parkinson's disease, stroke, etc Do you have any eye problems, like feeling an irritating foreign body in your eyes all the time? Can you eat cookies without drinking water? Also, when you swallow, do you feel like the food gets stuck somewhere behind your chest? Do you have burning sensation on the chest sometimes? Do you have acid reflux? Your situation can be attributed to any of the following: - neurological problems (I can't say what the cause is, it would need investigation) which may impair the swallowing process. - esophageal problems like a tumor (which blocks the way and will prevent solid food to reach the stomach unless chewed very diligently). Esophagitis may also cause a similar symptom. Depending on the cause, a different course of action is required. Please provide the details, I've asked for and I'll be glad to give a more complete answer. Kind Regards!