Dysphagia - Definition, Causation, Symptoms, Treatment

Definition/Esophageal dysphagia/Meaning/pronunciation (Expert Homeopathy: Dr. Anutosh Chakraborty)

Dysphagia is a condition of difficulty in swallowing or deglutition. When food comes through the esophagus to the stomach, it is difficult to engulf, may be solid or liquid.

Etiology / Causation
There is much causation in dysphagic condition

Painful diseases of mouth and pharynx

Acute pharyngitis

Acute tonsillitis

Quinsy

Fungal infection

Tumors

Pharyngeal-esophageal pouch

Cleft-palate

Nervous disturbances of deglutition:

1. Diphtheritic neuritis
2. Myasthenia gravis
3. Bulbar paralysis

Cardiac spasm

Tetanus

Compression of the esophagus from outside

Enlarged thyroid

Mediastinal lymph node

Aneurysm of aorta

Pericardial effusion

Left atrial enlargement

Tumor of bronchus

Tumor of neck

Diseases of esophagus

Congenital: Short esophagus, esophageal webs, and rings, congenital atresia

Inflammatory and degenerative diseases

Reflex esophagitis

Stenosis due to swallowed corrosives

Impacted foreign body

Tumors

Carcinoma esophagus

Carcinoma stomach

Sarcoma and benign tumors

Other diseases

Systemic sclerosis

Paraoesophageal hiatus hernia

Globus hystericus

Sign / Symptoms

Actually, most of the patients do not aware of this dysphagic condition. They avoid for many days or think, it is less important, can recover with a day pass.

Signs and symptoms start with little expression, which is ignored by the people.

Difficulty in swallowing, which may show for other reasons written above.

The patient goes to cachectic due to an insufficient diet.

Weight loss day by day.

There is a high risk of pulmonary aspiration and followed by pulmonary pneumonia due to food goes in the wrong way due to any above cause.

There may be continuous salivation day and night.

Chocking may suddenly occur.

Besides renal failure after long term if untreated,

Investigation

Radiology: Barium swallow and upper gastrointestinal series.

Endoscopy with biopsy.

Exfoliative manometry.

Video esophagography.

Nuclear scan.

Esophageal pH estimation.

Treatment

The cause of the dysphagia must be removed.

A semisolid diet should be given.

(Sudden onset) Foreign body - Endoscopic or surgical removal.

Homeopathic medicines for dysphagia (Expert Homeopathy: Dr. Anutosh Chakraborty)

Dysphagia due to acrid food: Lachesis

Swallowing impossible: Antim tart, Apis Mel, Baptisia T

Reflux esophagitis: Belladonna, Asarum, Carbo Veg.