Swallowing Disorders
Published May 9, 2026
Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) can happen with a number of neurological disorders. Older adults are at higher risk. Learn about causes and therapies.
<p>If you have a swallowing disorder, you may have difficulty or pain when swallowing. Some people cannot swallow at all. Others may have trouble swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. This makes it hard to eat. Often, it can be difficult to take in enough calories and fluids to nourish your body.</p> <p>Anyone can have a swallowing disorder, but it is more common in older adults. It often happens because of other conditions, including:</p><ul> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/neurologicdiseases.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nervous system disorders</a>, such as <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/parkinsonsdisease.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Parkinson's disease</a> and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/cerebralpalsy.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">cerebral palsy</a></li> <li> Problems with your <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/esophagusdisorders.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">esophagus,</a> including <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/gerd.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GERD</a> (gastroesophageal reflux disease)</li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/stroke.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stroke</a></li> <li> <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/headinjuries.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Head</a> or <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/spinalcordinjuries.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">spinal cord </a> injury</li> <li> Cancer of the <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/headandneckcancer.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">head, neck</a>, or <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/esophagealcancer.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">esophagus</a></li> </ul> <p>Medicines can help some people, while others may need surgery. Swallowing treatment with a speech-language pathologist can help. You may find it helpful to change your diet or hold your head or neck in a certain way when you eat. In very serious cases, people may need <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionalsupport.html" target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">feeding tubes</a>.</p> <p>NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders</p> <hr/> <p><em>Source: NIH MedlinePlus — <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/swallowingdisorders.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="blank">https://medlineplus.gov/swallowingdisorders.html</a></em></p>