Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Difficulty Swallowing
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Difficult swallowing describes any type of trouble a person may have when trying to swallow food or liquids.
What is going on in the body?
A person may have trouble swallowing for many different reasons. It can be caused by an anatomical problem, a nervous system problem, or a muscle problem. The cause may or may not be serious. Further testing is often needed to determine the exact cause.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
There are many possible causes of this condition. These can be divided into four main categories.
Narrowing of the esophagus, which is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach, can cause swallowing difficulties. Narrowing can be caused by:
Compression from the outside the throat and esophagus can also cause swallowing difficulties. Compression may be caused by:
A person may have difficulty starting to swallow if he or she has a very dry mouth. This can occur in a condition called Sjogren syndrome, which also causes dry eyes. Nerve or brain damage, such as damage to a nerve called the vagus nerve, may also cause this problem.
A person may also have difficulty swallowed because of muscle weakness caused by:
Other causes are also possible. Sometimes, no cause can be found.