Dysphagia simply means difficulty swallowing. It can cause pain and commonly affects older people and babies, with about 15.10 million adults diagnosed with dysphagia in the USA in 2022. People battling dysphagia struggle to swallow food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach, which puts them at risk of choking.

Food may sometimes miss the esophagus and enter the airway, causing a blockage. If this occurs frequently, one might avoid ingesting something out of fear of choking, making them avoid eating and drinking. This article discusses effective strategies people with swallowing difficulty can use to manage the condition safely and prevent choking.

Consult Healthcare Professionals

Seeking expert healthcare advice is a no-brainer if someone wants to manage dysphagia. A qualified doctor is equipped with the knowledge to conduct a proper assessment and provide evidence-based solutions.

Many conditions can cause dysphagia. Each cause calls for a unique intervention. This is where a dysphagia specialist provides their input. They will examine the patient and order the required diagnostic tests. This will assist in determining the actual cause of the dysphagia before creating a treatment plan to help manage the conditions safely.

Specialists commonly recommend food thickening agents to people with dysphagia to ease swallowing and make it safer. These agents help avoid choking hazards by modifying food textures to enhance bolus control and block the entry of ingested materials into the airways.

A registered dietitian can also customize the meal plans to suit the patient. They collaborate with patients to formulate a nutrient-dense meal plan that reduces swallowing problems without neglecting nutritional requirements.

Eating More Mindfully

Eating quickly can worsen dysphagia and heighten the risk of choking or aspiration. According to experts, eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly before swallowing reduces this risk.

Choosing softer, moist foods can improve dysphagia and make swallowing easier. Foods like cooked vegetables, ripe fruits, and yogurt are gentler on the food pipe and demand less effort than dry or rough textures to move to the stomach.

Lastly, instead of having a full plate of food, people battling dysphagia should consider smaller portions distributed throughout the day. This approach eases swallowing and is less taxing on the throat, which helps prevent choking.

Small Bites or Sips Adopting the Right Posture

If a patient has reduced oral or pharyngeal control, it would be best to take smaller bites or sips to manage the bolus size and make it easier to control and swallow safely. This strategy is generally safe and broadly applicable.

However, it may fail to prevent choking in those with severe dysphagia, requiring additional interventions like swallowing exercises or the use of compensatory methods to guarantee safe deglutition.

Posture can greatly influence swallowing, demonstrating the need to adopt the right posture when eating or drinking. Foods and liquids pass smoothly through the esophagus when an upright posture is assumed while eating. However, reclined positions predispose people to choking and increase the risk of aspiration by exacerbating dysphagia.

Dysphagia significantly increases the risk of choking, which is why patients need interventions. Learning how to manage dysphagia safely helps abate this risk and the potential complications such as aspiration and aspiration pneumonia.

If patients adopt these strategies, dysphagia will be easier to manage to prevent choking. Besides, the patients will eat healthy foods and drink their favorite fluids so they do not struggle with hydration and nutrition.