I've never actually thought that i was having swallowing difficulties but according to lulu's list, which i could tick all 4 (lump feeling only a handful of times though), maybe I should be looking at this differently and not as I have been which is just being a silly twit!
I have a lot of muscle issues overall, articulation of speak is often affected, not being able to get my tongue to ponounce a word correctly, tongue tied or tripping over my tongue sounds about right. I readily accept that the muscles that control my tongue are having a lazy day/week but when i choke on my saliva or drink during those lazy times, i've never thought they were connected. I've just put the choking spells down to stupidity, being too tired or not thinking.
Its probably due to not really choking on solids, liquids and saliva yes and yes but I find my self not being able to chew, chewing tires me out so much sometimes that i dont continue eating. I can understand that the same muscles that aide my speach are dysfunctioning and thats why i'm finding it too hard to chew but I'm not sure about the swollowing part.
I think i experience a delay in response, i can for example take a mouthful of food or drink and nothing happens, I'm aware of it and have to think about how to swallow before anything happens, hence the delay, but i can swollow and thankfully it is not all the time.
I feel really like a twit now i've written this, how silly of me to not connect one thing to the other, but until this moment i really would not of said i have swollowing issues, DOH! lol
Cheers.........JJ
I have had swallowing problems that started a few years before I was diagnosed. I just chalked them up to acid reflux symptoms which for me consists of coughing while I am eating or having a hard time getting food from the back of my mouth down the throat (not a feeling of a lump in my case). I choke on food as well, but not as often.
I didn't believe I had a swallowing problem until after I both a swallow test with eating barium laced food and another test that put a camera in my throat just above the wind pipe and esophogus. Both tests showed that the muscles in the back of my throat and tongue were not coordinating to swallow properly. You shouldn't have food no matter how small it is, going down the windpipe.
If your doctor asks this question again you might want to tell him/her what symptoms you are having in relation to swallowing and ask if this is what he/she means by having a swallowing problem. There is an important reason why the doctor is asking this question.
Hope this was helpful.
Julie
You know, I've had a couple of times in the last week when I accidentally inhaled saliva, or it went the wrong way, or something - made me cough and choke. I don't normally have such problems.
I have had the problem of swallowing my food part, and I have had pain in my chest when I do. I also have problems with choking on my food. I have even had problem just swallowing my own saliva, but now that I think about it I have never told my neuro about it. Guess that is something I should write down to mention to him.
There are so many symptoms to keep track of and I can't even remember what I had for breakfast much less what has happened to me in the month since my visit to him.
Paula
I got a big lump in my throat yesterday when I was trying to swallow. It felt like I was swallowing a golf ball. I thought I was going to choke, but fortunately managed to get it down. Then my chest started to cramp up!
Today I've been getting this cramp in the side of my neck when I swallow. No fun!
Thanks Lulu
I am starting to think that maybe so many people do un dx for so long because they don't understand their symptoms.
The dr's rattle of a list of questionsn with no explanations.
Last time, he asked if I had trouble swallowing and I said no (started today) but I still may have said no because I actually can swallow.
Tired of feeling like a hypochondriac...lol
Thanks
There are no limits to questions here.... so ask all you need to get a clear picture of what is happening.
Swallowing difficulties can include
*problems with swallowing food
*aspirating food or liquid into the lungs
*sensation of lump in the throat
* difficulties with speech
I had the lump in my throat for a good 6 months - I was referred to an ENT, but he could find nothing wrong when he examined me.
Hopefully someone else with this problem can add to the conversation.
-Lulu