Dysphagia refers to difficulty swallowing. Swallowing difficulty may arise from abnormalities in the mouth, throat, esophagus, or from neurologic or muscular disorders. Treatment initially is aimed at discerning a cause of the dysphagia and may require further testing via x-ray exams (barium swallow, video-swallow) or endoscopy. Treatment is then directed toward treating the underlying cause - options may include medication, procedures, or swallow therapy guided by a speech-language pathologist.
