Swallowing Disorders in the Older Population
Tongue strength is linked to jumping mechanography performance and handgrip strength in older adults, but not to classic functional tests. A cross-sectional study compared maximal tongue strength and tongue strength used during swallowing in healthy adults.
In articles published in J Phys Ther Sci, J Prosthodont Res, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, and J Am Geriatr Societies, some of the key players in the field of gerontology are quoted.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), aspiration pneumonitis and aspiration pneumonia are both risk factors for older adults. There is a strong link between oral bacteria count and pneumonia onset in elderly nursing home residents and those with poor oral hygiene and oral health. Expiratory muscle strength training has been shown to improve cough and swallow function.
How common is dysphagia in the elderly?
Dysphagia is a geriatric syndrome that affects 10% to 33% of older adults. It is most commonly seen in older adults who have had a stroke or who have neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Dysphagia patients can suffer from malnutrition, pneumonia, and dehydration.
How common is dysphagia?
Dysphagia is a common condition that affects about 13.5% of the general population but is more common in seniors as people live longer. Dysphagia affects 19-33% of people over the age of 80 and up to 50% of people living in nursing homes.
Why is dysphagia common in the elderly?
Age-related changes in head and neck anatomy and physiology, such as tongue pressure changes, slower swallowing, increased airway penetration, sensory changes, and oesophageal motility changes, all increase the risk of dysphagia (Ney et al 2009).
Is dysphagia a normal part of aging?
Many changes in swallow function occur naturally with aging and do not result in dysphagia. However, dysphagia does occur in the elderly u2013 the prevalence of dysphagia in community-dwelling elderly appears to be 15%, and this number rises in those with other disabilities such as stroke, COPD, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
How do you fix dysphagia?
Dysphagia can be treated in a variety of ways, including:
- Changing your diet.
- Dilation.
- Endoscopy.
- Surgery.
- Medicines.
- If you have a problem with your brain, nerves, or muscles, you may need to do exercises to train your muscles to work together to help you swallow.
Can you recover from dysphagia?
Most people with dysphagia recover within two weeks, according to studies; however, every stroke is different, so every recovery will be different. Dysphagia can sometimes go away on its own, a phenomenon known as spontaneous recovery. The chances of spontaneous recovery are higher if your stroke was mild.
What is the best medicine for dysphagia?
To treat the cause of your esophageal dysphagia, your gastroenterologist may prescribe corticosteroids, antacids, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), and muscle relaxants.
What is the most common cause of dysphagia?
Acid reflux disease is the most common cause of dysphagia, and people with it may have esophageal problems such as an ulcer, a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus), or a cancer that causes difficulty swallowing.
What are the stages of dysphagia?
What exactly is dysphagia?
- Pharyngeal phase. The muscles of your pharynx contract in sequence to move the bolus toward your stomach.
- Esophageal phase. The muscles of your esophagus contract in sequence to move the bolus toward your stomach.
What are the signs of dysphagia?
Dysphagia can also manifest itself in the following ways:
- When eating or drinking, coughing or choking.
- bringing food back up, sometimes through the nose.
- a feeling that food is stuck in your throat or chest.
- persistent saliva drooling.
- being unable to chew food properly.
- a gurgly, wet-sounding voice when eating or drinking.
How can elderly improve their swallowing?
Take a deep breath and hold it as you place a small bite of food in your mouth and swallow it, then cough to clear any leftover saliva or food that may have gone down past your vocal cords, then exhale. Do not use food during your first few attempts at the exercise.
What foods should you avoid with dysphagia?
It’s crucial to stay away from other foods, such as:
- Non-pureed breads.
- Any lumpy cereal.
- Cookies, cakes, or pastry.
- Any whole fruit.
- Non-pureed meats, beans, or cheese.
- Scrambled, fried, or hard-boiled eggs.
- Non-pureed potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Does dysphagia increase with age?
Though aging facilitates subtle physiologic changes in swallow function, age-related diseases are important factors in the presence and severity of dysphagia, with stroke and dementia having high rates of dysphagia among elderly diseases and health complications.
What is a swallow test for the elderly?
A bedside swallow exam is a test to see if you have dysphagia, which causes difficulty swallowing and can lead to serious problems. When you swallow, food passes through your mouth and into a part of your throat called the pharynx, then through the esophagus, which is a long tube.
Does aging affect swallowing?
Swallowing is a complex process that changes over time, and swallowing difficulty (dysphagia) is linked to aging. Changes in the tongue, upper throat (pharynx), vocal cords and voice box (larynx), and lower throat (esophagus) occur as people age.