Sometimes, people have trouble swallowing food or drinks. This is called dysphagia (say: dis-FAY-juh). It can happen to kids or grown-ups. Things like Parkinson’s disease, a stroke, or cancer treatments can make swallowing harder.
When we swallow, a lot of things happen in our body to help food go safely to the stomach. The tongue pushes food back, a flap called the epiglottis closes off the airway, and the food slides down a tube called the esophagus to the stomach.
But if something goes wrong, food or drinks might slip into the lungs instead. This is called aspiration, and it can make someone really sick. It can cause aspiration pneumonia, which is a bad lung infection. People might need medicine or even help breathing if that happens.
Signs of Swallowing Problems
Here are some signs to watch for:
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Coughing or choking when eating
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Feeling like food is stuck
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A wet or gurgly voice after eating
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Taking a long time to chew
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Drooling a lot
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Losing weight without trying
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Skipping certain foods
If this happens to you or someone you care about, talk to a speech pathologist. That’s a person who helps people with talking, eating, and swallowing.
What Is the FEES Test?
A test called FEES (say: feez) can help. That stands for Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing. Some people also call it the FEES test speech therapy.
During this test:
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You sit in a chair.
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A very thin camera goes gently into your nose.
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The camera looks down into your throat while you eat and drink.
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The speech pathologist watches your throat muscles in real time, in full color, to see how you swallow.
FEES is fast, safe, and doesn’t use any X-rays. It can even be done right at the bedside if you’re too sick to go to a testing room. It also helps doctors see if the throat tissue is red, swollen, or tired after many swallows.
What About the MBS Test?
Another test is called the MBS, or Modified Barium Swallow. In this test:
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You go to the hospital.
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You drink a special white liquid called barium.
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An X-ray machine watches the liquid move through your throat and shows the swallowing process in black and white.
Even though MBS uses a little radiation, it gives doctors a wider side view and helps them see more of the swallowing path.
Which One Is Better?
FEES and MBS are both helpful in different ways. FEES shows a close-up, colorful look at the throat and how it works in real time. MBS shows a big-picture view with X-rays. Doctors use both tests to understand swallowing problems and decide how to help.
Don’t Wait If Swallowing Feels Off
Swallowing problems can get worse quickly. If you’re choking, coughing when you eat, or feel like food is stuck, talk to a speech pathologist right away. The FEES dysphagia test could be the first step to getting help and staying safe.
Next Steps
Think you or someone you love might need a swallowing test? Talk to your doctor or ask for a referral to a speech pathologist today. A quick and easy FEES test could make all the difference.