Swallowing is a complex process and involves a number of muscles, nerves.
Swallowing is complex, involving many muscles and nerves.
Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing or leads to a narrowing of the back of the throat or esophagus can cause dysphagia.
Esophageal dysphagia
Esophageal dysphagia refers to the sensation of food sticking or getting caught in the base of your throat or in your chest after you've started to swallow.
Some of the causes of esophageal dysphagia include:
- Achalasia.
- Diffuse spasm.
- Esophageal stricture.
- Esophageal tumors.
- Foreign bodies.
- Esophageal ring.
- GERD.
- Eosinophilic esophagitis.
- Scleroderma.
- Radiation therapy.
Oropharyngeal dysphagia
Certain conditions can weaken the throat muscles, making it difficult to move food from your mouth into your throat and esophagus when you start to swallow. You might choke, gag or cough when you try to swallow or have the sensation of food or fluids going down your windpipe (trachea) or up your nose. This can lead to pneumonia.
Causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia include:
- Neurological disorders.
- Neurological damage.
- Pharyngoesophageal diverticulum
- Cancer.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dysphagia/symptoms-
causes/syc-20372028
