Improving Eating Habits with Swallowing Difficulties
The Challenges of Eating with Swallowing Difficulties
Shortly after Debbie McClure was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an immune system disorder causing dry mouth, she experienced the difficulties of swallowing while having dinner.
Swallowing issues can lead to food getting stuck in the throat, causing discomfort and posing a risk of choking. These challenges can be exacerbated by conditions such as dysphagia, which affects the normal swallowing process.
Medical conditions like stroke or dementia can also impact eating habits, requiring individuals to stay focused during meals to avoid potential risks.
Tips for Improving Swallowing Difficulties
- Vary flavors, temperature, and textures in your diet to keep the mouth engaged.
- Adopt a 90-degree posture with a slight forward tilt of the head during and after meals to aid swallowing.
- Maintain focus during mealtime, especially for individuals with stroke or dementia, to prevent distractions.
- Clean the mouth before meals to hydrate and make swallowing easier.
- Cut solid foods into small pieces to minimize the risk of choking.
- Swallow multiple times per bite or sip if necessary to ensure safe passage of food or liquid.
Unique Insights into Eating with Swallowing Difficulties
When navigating swallowing difficulties, it’s essential to prioritize safety and comfort during meals. Here are some practical insights to enhance the eating experience:
1. Experiment with different utensils or adaptive devices to make eating easier and more enjoyable.
2. Practice mindful eating techniques, such as savoring each bite and taking breaks between bites to aid digestion.
3. Stay informed about potential medication side effects that may worsen dry mouth or swallowing issues.
4. Seek support from speech therapists or swallowing disorders specialists for personalized strategies to improve swallowing efficiency.
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Shortly after Debbie McClure was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, a immune system disorder what cause dry mouth, sat down to dinner roast beef. She was still adjusting to her condition. So she didn’t quite realize how not having enough saliva, which helps move food from the mouth to the throat, would make it difficult to swallow, especially dry foods, like her overcooked roast beef.
“I tried to swallow a bite, but it got stuck in my throat,” says McClure, a writer based in Ontario, Canada. He grabbed a glass of water and, sip by sip, managed to dislodge the piece of meat.
When a medical condition creates problems with chewing or swallowing, the simple act of eating can become quite the opposite. Mouth pain, stiffness or discomfort in your jaw muscles, or problems with your teeth can make it difficult to chew solid foods. a condition called dysphagia can create a delay in the swallowing process either in the throat or in what is known as the pharynx (the digestive tube between the esophagus and the mouth) which can also make it difficult for you to swallow without coughing or choking.
“If you have trouble swallowing, even if it’s pills, you should tell your doctor,” says Brian Hedman, a speech therapist and swallowing disorders specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. “A speech therapist can perform an assessment and offer tricks or techniques to help you or someone you care for swallow safely.”
Try these six tips to make sure what you eat gets to its destination without a hitch along the way.
They are flavors, temperature and textures. When you vary them in your diet, you help keep your mouth awake and focused, Hedman says.
Switch between bites of something cold and tart, like lemon ice cream, with something warm and smooth, like mashed potatoes.
During meals, and for 45 to 60 minutes after eating, try to adopt a 90-degree posture with your head slightly tilted forward, suggests Hedman.
“If you have difficulty getting food from the front to the back of your mouth, try a reclining position,” he says. “Otherwise, sitting upright is the best position for eating and drinking.”
It is important to stay focused during mealtime, especially for someone who has had a stroke or is in the early stages of dementiasays Kristi King, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“A person with Alzheimer’s may pay more attention to an open window or the television in the room than to what is in their mouth,” he says.
Before meals, clean the inside of your mouth with a disposable oral swab or, better yet, brush your teeth “to help hydrate your mouth and make it easier to swallow,” says Hedman.
And keep a drink on hand during meals. McClure takes sips of water or something else that doesn’t bubble between each bite to help move the food along. If water or other thin liquids make him cough, use an over-the-counter liquid thickener, suggests Hedman. These thicken without changing the taste or appearance of your drink.
“I also avoid medications like over-the-counter cold and allergy pills, or sleeping pills that contain antihistamines,” McClure says. “Antihistamines are [drying]and it will definitely affect the amount of dryness in my mouth, eyes and nose.”
Cut solid foods into small pieces to minimize the risk of choking.
“I’ve learned that even finger foods should be cut into very small portions,” says McClure. “When I indulge in something like chips or popcorn, I make sure to eat one at a time, slowly and in very small bites.”
You may have to swallow two or three times per bite or sip. If food or liquid catches in your throat, cough gently or clear your throat and swallow again before breathing.
Try “alternating bites and sips,” says Hedman. “If you have trouble drawing liquid to the end of a straw, cut it downward so the liquid travels less distance.”
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