Swallowing Resources
Many throat cancer patients for whatever reason are left with swallowing issues; this page contains links to information and videos that have been recommended by members of our Facebook page. Member comments are shown as quotes.
“The effects of cancer treatment on your swallowing ability: What to monitor during and after cancer treatment” (download this 1-page document by clicking on button.)
This website was developed to enhance the education and knowledge of the patients and their families under the care of the SLP staff at Texas Health Care, PLLC.
Throughout this site, you will find information, illustrations, videos, etc. regarding the various medical/rehabilitative topics treated by the Speech Pathology Department.
This site should serve as a practical reference for general information as well as provide answers to frequently asked questions. You can also view images of our staff in practice, hear personal accounts from current/former patients and find the latest information on current practices employed by our staff. You will also find links to contact this office with questions and/or appointment requests.
“I really like this site a lot because it’s easy to use and it’s written so everyone can understand it.”
The National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders strives to provide education to patients and caregivers impacted by a swallowing disorder in addition to the wide range of professionals who support our challenged community. We offer educational opportunities through our Dysphagia Webinar Series, our Dysphagia documentary, university outreach programs, and more.
Information/Tips on managing dry mouth: http://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/xerostomia-dry-mouth/
Dysphagia – Difficulty eating and swallowing food—dysphagia—can have a significant impact on a patient’s life after radiation treatment and surgery. Consuming enough nutrition is critical to a your ability to recover from surgery and tolerate life saving treatments. Recognizing this disorder early allows you and your doctor to implement an effective treatment plan. In the long term, patients may experience some permanent eating and swallowing disability as a result of treatment, but in many cases this can be treated or compensated for.
US News & World Report Article: A Disorder That’s Hard to Swallow – Dysphagia can cripple your quality of life and lead to other (deadly) conditions.
“Hopefully this will help. It is a procedure where they put you under anesthesia. They do an endoscopy and freeze dead tissue or bad tissue. It is frozen with liquid oxygen. When it thaws enough which usually doesn’t take long and are awake enough, you go back to your room and depending on severity go home the same day. Your throat basically feels like a sore throat as compared to a tonsillectomy. I had it done twice within 1month. How bad your throat is determines how much and how often you have to do it. There are a limited number of machines in the U.S. You will have to check within your doctor to find one in your area. Only 1 in the Memphis TN area. I hope this helps and is an option for anyone having this problem.”
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center -Radiation Therapy to the Head and Neck: What You Need to Know About Swallowing
Dharamshila Hospital and Research Centre
Benefits of Montgomery Salivary Bypass Tube in Recurrent Pharyngocutaneous Fistula Following Laryngopharyngectomy
Pharyngo-cutaneous fistula development is a major complication associated with Laryngo-pharyngectomy. Most cases respond well to conservative treatment. In recurrent and chronic non-healing fistulas, the constant bathing by saliva of the altered tissue is a prime factor in retarding the progress of healing. Prevention of wound contamination with saliva is necessary. The Montgomery salivary bypass tube (MSBT, Photo 1) directs saliva into the distal esophagus and thus this procedure supports spontaneous closure of the fistula. We describe our experience with MSBT in a case of recurrent Pharygo-cutaneous fistula.
RESOURCE® THICKENUP® CLEAR improves swallowing safety compared to thin liquids*, does not over-thicken with time, and mixes easily in a wide range of foods and beverages. This instant thickener is tasteless, odorless, lump-free, and remains clear when mixed in water.
“I have used this product to thicken liquids to nectar, puree and pudding consistencies at different times during my dysphagia therapy. The liquid, once thickened, stays at the desired consistency, even after refrigeration, so I could thicken a full cup, and sip from it all during the day.”
Phagophobia: The Fear of Eating
Phagophobia is a word that comes from Greek phagein, “eat” and phobos, “fear”. It is a fear of swallowing that manifests in various symptoms without any apparent physical reason detectable by a traditional assessment. The disorder can wreak havoc on normal eating in a variety of ways. Patients may avoid certain types of food or textures, hyper-masticate (over-chew) their food, complain of food sticking, exhibit difficulty getting the swallow “started” and lose weight. All of these symptoms can create elevated levels of anxiety and cause patients to socially isolate themselves during mealtimes.
