Dysphagia: What to Do When It’s Hard to Swallow

Dysphagia can affect anyone because people can have a variety of minor problems ranging from trouble with chewing related to dental problems to undiagnosed self-management of symptoms. Natural aging causes loss of muscle mass (including tongue and throat muscles) which can cause trouble with chewing and swallowing. In fact, people who age naturally without dementia, stroke or other diseases that affect swallowing often find themselves saying, "I just need to eat slow and chew for a long time." Jillian De Luca, MS, CCC-SLP, answers common questions about dysphasia and what can be done.