Common patient complaints indicative of dysphagia may include:
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Difficulty initiating a swallow
- Coughing/choking episodes
- Pain while swallowing
- Feeling something “stuck” in the throat
- Food or liquid “coming back up” after swallowing
- Heartburn/Indigestion
- Difficulty swallowing pills
- Poor appetite
- Decreased quality of life
Other signs and symptoms of dysphagia may include:
- Decreased oral intake percentages
- Lengthy feeding/meal times
- Weight loss
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Loss of food/liquid from mouth
- Drooling
- Pocketing or holding food in the mouth
- Nasal drainage
- Nasal regurgitation
- Throat clearing
- Coughing
- Choking
- Wet/gurgly vocal quality
- Shortness of breath
- Pneumonia
- Reflux