The causes can be many and varied but the problem with swallowing can be unsettling
If one has tendency to swallow repeatedly; food and saliva dribble from the mouth while eating; cough and splutter; an urge to clear the throat often; have discomfort in the chest as the food passes on, it is very likely due to difficulty in swallowing and is termed as Dysphagia .
The act of swallowing or deglutition is an activity which starts in the mouth and ends in the stomach. It starts with the production of saliva which is released at the sight, smell or the taste of food in the mouth and acts in the first part of swallowing and chewing. This is the voluntary act of swallowing and as the tongue flips back of the bolus of food into the pharynx, the respiratory passages are on guard and the vocal cords opening into the passage constrict so that the food particles do not find their way into them but promptly go down to the stomach. The last part of swallowing is along the tubular passage of oesophagus along the chest into the stomach which is guided as there are muscular contractions helping it down.
Swallowing can become a problem if any of these processes is affected.
It could be a problem among the elderly when the muscles used for chewing become weaker and also loss of teeth and decrease in salivation compounds the problem. The nervous system has to sanction the reflex of swallowing and persons suffering with diseases of the nervous system like parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease there is a compromise in the process of swallowing.
There could be damage to the nerves and muscles of the area due to diseases like cancer and its treatment, and also due to injuries to head and neck.
A spasm of the musculature of the oesophagus could be triggered due to an infection of the glands in the throat liketonsils and laryngitis. People suffering with chronic diseases of the stomach like peptic ulcers can have musculature of the oesophagus destroyed causing the problem of swallowing. The structures around the oesophagus could be compressing on the structures causing swallowing disturbances.
If the patients complain of difficulty in swallowing solids it would be due to mechanical obstruction and if it is of both solids and liquids it could be related to diseases influencing both the nervous system and the muscles. If it is only the second part that is affected there is drooling of saliva and also the liquid particles appearing through the nose. If there is regurgitation, vomiting of food ingested or a sensation of heaviness of the food pathway it is the oesophagus that is the affected area.
A Barium meal test, video endoscopies are a couple of tests which would ascertain the local cause and other investigations to reveal if it is affliction of the nervous system.
The local causes of the mouth are helped by Bryonia and Alumina and if it is the pharynx that is affected then Baryta carb, Argentum met and Merc sol help. If it is the oesophagus that is constricted and if predominantly the muscular system is the cause for concern then remedies like Kali bich, Phosphorus,Condurango, Ac. nit are helpful. If the nervous system is also affected then Plumbum met, Zincum met, Physostigma, Hyoscyamus, Ignatia find their role to act and relieve.
