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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Coughing While Eating Or Drinking?

i m a caregiver for a woman with psp. She rarely speaks now but occasionally laughs and sometimes smiles. when she eats or drinks she sometimes coughs and I worry about aspiration pneumonia. I have some general experience but no formal training. I don t know how to help. Can you make suggestions please? thanks
Wed, 10 Jun 2015
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Thanks for your question on health care magic. I can understand your concern.
PSP is progressive supranuclear palsy. It is cerebral disease. And this can cause diminished gag reflex. So possibility of aspiration is high in such patients.
Your patient is also having coughing during eating and drinking. This is suggestive of aspiration more.
So your patient is at high risk of aspiration pneumonia.
Better to feed him in sitting position.
Avoid further feeding if he develops coughing.
Nasogastric tube feeding is much more safer in such patients. This reduces aspiration and chances of pneumonia.
So discus all these with doctor and plan accordingly.
Hope o have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your patient.
Thanks.
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What Causes Coughing While Eating Or Drinking?

Thanks for your question on health care magic. I can understand your concern. PSP is progressive supranuclear palsy. It is cerebral disease. And this can cause diminished gag reflex. So possibility of aspiration is high in such patients. Your patient is also having coughing during eating and drinking. This is suggestive of aspiration more. So your patient is at high risk of aspiration pneumonia. Better to feed him in sitting position. Avoid further feeding if he develops coughing. Nasogastric tube feeding is much more safer in such patients. This reduces aspiration and chances of pneumonia. So discus all these with doctor and plan accordingly. Hope o have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your patient. Thanks.