Understanding The Risks Of Swallowing Difficulties

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What Are The Risks From Having Trouble Swallowing?

Keeping in mind all the people who suffer from swallowing difficulties, the next step is to understand the risks related to the condition.

One of the most obvious problems that arise with swallowing difficulties is the tendency to choke. If the swallowing process is not occurring in a highly organized manner, food and liquid can easily go down the wrong pipe. Such choking can sometimes be fatal but deaths from choking are actually rare.

Another problem that occurs when swallowing difficulties are present is weight loss. When patients have difficulty swallowing and are at risk of choking, they will not consume as much as they need. Especially for patients who are already ill, this can reduce the chances of recovery by affecting the rate of healing and increasing the risks of infection.

However, the most dangerous health issue that arises as a result of swallowing problems is the risk of pneumonia. Pneumonia occurs because saliva-containing bacteria will sometimes go down the wrong tube into the lungs. There, the bacteria can cause the development of pneumonia and in those with chronic swallowing problems can lead to recurring pneumonia infections. Over time these cases of pneumonia can wear down a patient’s health and ultimately lead to death.

Based on research from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, patients admitted to hospitals with swallowing disorders spend 40% more time in hospital. The same study also found that the combination of a heart disease and a swallowing problem increases the risks of dying by 13 times. In general, patients with trouble swallowing have 3 times the risk to develop pneumonia and if they actually are getting saliva and food into their lungs regularly, their risks to develop pneumonia increase by 11 times overall according to University of Toronto research.

Given that pneumonia can quickly become live threatening, this makes the connection between swallowing problems and pneumonia a significant risk.

Conclusions

Even though swallowing is something that we do all the time, it is a complex task that the body performs. As a result, there are many ways in which our ability to swallow properly can be compromised. While some causes are not that dangerous, many of the underlying conditions that can lead to swallowing difficulties are. At the same time, several very common conditions cause us to have trouble swallowing. As a result, when individuals experience problems swallowing it is important to work with the doctor to identify and potentially treat the underlying cause.

Related Links

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/dysphagia-000053.htm

http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/36/12/2756.full

http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/30/4/744.full

http://www.springerlink.com/content/8611836rxj16017j/

http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b3094.full

http://www.isbnsearch.org/isbn/0316801356

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=surv

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/content/179/7/559.full

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/copd/campaign-materials/html/copd-atrisk.htm

http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/2236/1/01front.pdf

http://www.springerlink.com/content/u16thte411t5dax0/

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease_backgrounder.htm

http://www.mountsinai.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/swallowing-condition-puts-hospitalized-patients-at-risk-for-complications-and-increased-length-of-stay

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