Dysphagia

Overview

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) comprises problems which usually fall into two categories:

• Oropharyngeal dysphagia is related to nerve and muscle problems that can weaken your throat muscles and make it difficult to move food from your mouth into your throat.
• Esophageal dysphagia refers to food getting stuck in the swallowing tube (esophagus).

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Experience. Each year, Mayo Clinic specialists treat thousands of people who have dysphagia.
• Multispecialty care. Mayo Clinic's teamwork system brings together all of the specialists you need to treat your problem – digestive specialists (gastroenterologists), throat specialists (ENT), neurologists, thoracic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists and speech-language pathologists. Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Minnesota also have a specialty clinic, the Esophageal Clinic, to coordinate care for people with dysphagia.
• Research advances. Mayo Clinic has made and continues to make important research contributions to the treatment of dysphagia and its causes. Because of this, you have access to the latest advances in dysphagia diagnosis and treatment.
• Comprehensive, advanced testing. Mayo Clinic offers high-tech testing options to identify the cause of your dysphagia. The results from most tests are typically available within a few hours.
• Latest treatments. Mayo Clinic is a leader in treatments such as esophageal dilation for strictures (narrowing), stent placement for blockages and surgery.

Read more about dysphagia at MayoClinic.com.