Swallowing the Consequences of Dysphagia

Dysphagia is the term used to describe a swallowing disorder that usually results from a neurological or physical impairment of the oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal mechanisms (Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 2014). In fact, the conventional clinical wisdom is that any disruption in the swallowing process may be defined as dysphagia (Crary et al. 2003). Dysphagia can be a transient, persistent, or deteriorating symptom, according to the underlying pathology.

In the United States, d…