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What Causes Swallowing Disorders In An Elderly Person?
Question: My 67 year old boyfriend has been having difficulty swallowing at times. Food seems to be stuck in his throat and won't go down or come up. If he swallows a lot of water it eventually goes down. We don't know what kind of a doctor he should see. He doesn't smoke anymore but does chew tobacco. Also, he's constantly complaining about being out of breath.
Brief Answer:
Recommendations:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
For swallowing problems, he should see an ENT (ear nose throat) specialist. The ENT doctor will likely order tests called swallowing studies, administered usually be a speech therapist, where the patient is given different consistencies of food and liquid and observed to figure out the problem. The ENT doctor may also do something called indirect laryngoscopy (does not hurt) while in the office - this is done with a little mirror and a head lamp, to look indirectly down the throat. The ENT doctor may also want to get a better image of problems with a CT scan or MRI of the head/neck.
The breathing problem can be addressed by a pulmonologist, but you can start with his primary care doctor who should listen and get a chest X-ray to start with. A pulmonologist will likely order pulmonary function tests. These tests, done by a respiratory therapist, involve testing how much air a person moves in and out of their lungs with regular breathing, and forced inspiration and expiration.
It is good that your boyfriend doesn't smoke anymore, but chewing tobacco is a carcinogen to the head/neck structures. I recommend he talk with his doctor about tobacco cessation techniques. Certain antidepressants, such as Zyban, are especially good with helping people deal with the cravings that often happen when discontinuing tobacco in any form.
I hope this information helps get you and your boyfriend started.
Recommendations:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
For swallowing problems, he should see an ENT (ear nose throat) specialist. The ENT doctor will likely order tests called swallowing studies, administered usually be a speech therapist, where the patient is given different consistencies of food and liquid and observed to figure out the problem. The ENT doctor may also do something called indirect laryngoscopy (does not hurt) while in the office - this is done with a little mirror and a head lamp, to look indirectly down the throat. The ENT doctor may also want to get a better image of problems with a CT scan or MRI of the head/neck.
The breathing problem can be addressed by a pulmonologist, but you can start with his primary care doctor who should listen and get a chest X-ray to start with. A pulmonologist will likely order pulmonary function tests. These tests, done by a respiratory therapist, involve testing how much air a person moves in and out of their lungs with regular breathing, and forced inspiration and expiration.
It is good that your boyfriend doesn't smoke anymore, but chewing tobacco is a carcinogen to the head/neck structures. I recommend he talk with his doctor about tobacco cessation techniques. Certain antidepressants, such as Zyban, are especially good with helping people deal with the cravings that often happen when discontinuing tobacco in any form.
I hope this information helps get you and your boyfriend started.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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