The Swallow Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Phoenix, Arizona, provides complete evaluation and treatment for adults with trouble swallowing, also called dysphagia. Swallowing problems can have many causes, including injury, cancer and esophageal conditions.
If swallowing is hard or painful, you may worry about choking, losing weight or not getting enough nutrition. You may avoid certain foods or feel anxious at meals. The team at the Swallow Clinic understands how much this can affect your health and daily life. Specialists work with you to find answers and create a treatment plan that fits your needs and goals.
The Swallow Clinic in Arizona is one of only a few programs in the U.S. where you meet with experts in speech-language pathology, otolaryngology and gastroenterology together in a single visit. You complete testing, review your results and receive a complete care plan the same day.
Why choose the Swallow Clinic?
At other medical centers, you may need several visits over days or weeks with different specialists to evaluate swallowing symptoms. At the Swallow Clinic in Arizona, you meet with all your specialists in one visit. They work together to create a coordinated care plan for you.
Mayo Clinic offers advanced diagnostic testing, such as videofluoroscopic swallowing studies and transnasal esophagoscopy, to identify the cause of swallowing difficulties. Results are available quickly to guide your care.
Care is tailored to your needs, delivered by experts in swallowing disorders.
The Swallow Clinic may be helpful if you:
- Have swallowing problems that have not improved with time or treatment.
- Have seen other specialists and still do not have a clear diagnosis.
- Have swallowing symptoms that involve more than one stage of swallowing, such as problems in the mouth, throat or esophagus.
Is the Swallow Clinic right for you?
The Swallow Clinic may be helpful if you:
- Have swallowing problems that have not improved with time or treatment.
- Have seen other specialists and still do not have a clear diagnosis.
- Have swallowing symptoms that involve more than one stage of swallowing, such as problems in the mouth, throat or esophagus.
What to expect during your visit
Your visit is planned so you can complete testing and meet with your full care team in a single day.
Morning evaluation and testing
You meet with a speech-language pathologist for a videofluoroscopic swallowing study. During this test, real-time X-ray imaging shows how food and liquid move through your mouth, throat and esophagus.
Afternoon team consultation
You meet with your full care team, which includes a speech-language pathologist, an otolaryngologist and a gastroenterologist. You also may have a flexible laryngoscopy. This procedure uses a small camera to examine your throat, voice box and possibly your esophagus.
Your team reviews your results with you. They discuss treatment options and explain next steps.
Your care team
At the Swallow Clinic, your care is led by a team of specialists with advanced training in evaluating and treating swallowing disorders:
- A speech-language pathologist, who specializes in swallowing disorders and is board-certified through the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.
- An otolaryngologist, also called an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, with advanced training in conditions of the throat and voice box, also called the larynx.
- A gastroenterologist, who specializes in swallowing disorders related to the esophagus.
Depending on your needs, your team also may work with other Mayo Clinic experts. These may include specialists in nutrition, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pulmonary medicine, rheumatology, psychology and palliative care.
This team approach means you receive a complete evaluation. It also means all aspects of your health are considered.
Comprehensive testing and diagnosis
Many people come to the Swallow Clinic after months or even years of trouble swallowing without clear answers. Finding the cause is the first step to effective treatment.
You may have tests to evaluate your swallowing function, including:
- A videofluoroscopic swallowing study. This special X-ray shows how food and liquid move as you swallow.
- Flexible laryngoscopy with transnasal esophagoscopy. A thin, flexible camera is placed through the nose to examine the throat, voice box and esophagus while you are awake.
Your care team also may suggest additional tests to better understand your swallowing symptoms:
- Upper endoscopy. A procedure done while you are asleep to examine the esophagus and stomach.
- Esophageal manometry. A test that measures how well the muscles in the esophagus work.
- Ambulatory acid (pH) probe test. A test that checks for acid reflux.
Treatment tailored to your needs
Your treatment is based on your needs and goals. Mayo Clinic offers advanced treatment options, including endoscopic and minimally invasive procedures for conditions of the mouth, throat and esophagus.
Speech-language pathologists play a key role in your care. They teach techniques and strategies to make swallowing safer and more comfortable.
Your care team works with you over time. They adjust your treatment plan as your needs change.
Your team also can connect you with patient education, which offers resources to help you better understand your condition and treatment options.
Expertise and rankings
Each year, specialists at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota care for more than 16,000 people with swallowing problems. This high volume means your care team has deep experience. They diagnose and treat a wide range of swallowing conditions.
Specialists at the Swallow Clinic in Arizona work closely with the Larynx and Trachea Transplant Program in Arizona. This program is a national and international referral center for complex airway and swallowing conditions.
Mayo Clinic also serves as a test center for evaluating new medical technologies to ensure they are safe and effective. This means you have access to experienced teams and additional treatment options that may not be available at other medical centers.
Mayo Clinic in Arizona is the No. 1 hospital in Arizona for 12 consecutive years. Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, is ranked among the Best Hospitals for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for ear, nose and throat and cancer care by U.S. News & World Report.
Your team of swallowing specialists
Research and innovation
Mayo Clinic physician-scientists and other researchers work to improve diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders.
See a list of publications about swallowing disorders by Mayo Clinic researchers on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic research:
Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Head and Neck Regenerative Medicine Laboratory
Contact
Arizona
Jan. 17, 2026