Swallowing Therapy Services Adelaide
Dysphagia is the name for swallowing difficulties. Dysphagia can be caused by a wide range of medical conditions and can impact on your ability to chew and safely swallow food or drinks. Swallowing difficulties can occur at any stage in life and may impact not only your health but also your enjoyment of eating and participation in social activities.
Aspiration is the medical term used for food and fluid entering the airway. This can quickly develop into pneumonia. Aspiration and choking are serious complications of dysphagia and should be addressed immediately. Please contact the clinic to speak with a speech pathologist to determine the urgency of your assessment. In some cases we may advise that you seek medical attention before your appointment.
Please note that we do not assess for oesophageal dysphagia and recommend referral to a gastroenterologist where appropriate.
At Adelaide Voice Therapy, we’re proud to offer Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)—a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool used to assess swallowing function. Learn More…
Swallowing difficulties can occur at any stage in life.
Difficulties in swallowing can occur when suffering from:
Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. It can occur when there is weakness or incoordination of the muscles in the mouth and throat.
Signs of dysphagia:
- Coughing, throat clearing, or choking when eating and drinking
- Frequent unexplained chest infections
- The feeling of food sticking in your throat
- Pain when swallowing
- Difficulty chewing or food left in the mouth after eating
- Voice sounding wet or gurgly after drinking
- Unexplained weight loss, reduced intake, or avoidance of certain foods
- Regurgitation of food
- Dribbling of drinks or drinks coming out of the nose