Treatment for Dysphagia & Other Swallowing Disorders
Dysphagia typically refers to difficulty in eating as a result of a disruption in the swallowing process. Dysphagia can be a serious threat to one’s health because of the risk of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, weight loss, and airway obstruction.
The signs of swallowing difficulties may include:
Coughing during or right after eating and drinking
Extra time or effort needed to chew or swallow
Food or liquid leaking from the mouth
Change in your voice after eating or drinking such as a gurgling sound
Weight loss or dehydration due to problems eating or chewing your food
A speech language pathologist will complete a swallow evaluation in order to determine the exact nature of the difficulty. The speech pathologist will review the patient’s medical history, check on the muscles used for chewing and swallowing, and observe how the patient is chewing and swallowing.
Individualized Treatment Plan
Treatment varies depending on the cause and type of swallowing difficulty. An individualized treatment plan will be designed just for each patient’s swallowing difficulty. The speech therapist will recommend ways patients can make the swallow safer and provide techniques to improve the swallow.
Referrals & Insurance
Patients need a prescription from their doctor in order to enroll in the swallowing program at Allied Services. Insurance coverage for this program is provided by most health insurance policies.
For specific questions on how to obtain a referral, please call 570-826-3900 (Wilkes-Barre) or 570-348-1360 (Scranton). Contact us to learn more or start your referral process today.
