How are swallowing disorders treated?

How are swallowing disorders treated?

Jason Hamilton (Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon) gives expert video advice on: What causes swallowing disorders?; How are swallowing disorders treated? and more...

Swallowing disorders are usually treated by a speech therapist, who shows the patients exercises that they can use to coordinate their swallowing. So, if it's a neurologic deficit and the patient has problems like moving the food back into their throat with their tongue, they'll teach the patient how to do exercises to improve their swallowing. Typically, patients are able to learn the behaviors that they need to do to get food down and to swallow again. There's no medicine that can really help the patient improve their swallowing.