The causes of undernutrition, whether it concerns young or elderly patients, are multiple. Among them is dysphagia, a disorder that can have serious health consequences. Santé Sur le Net looks back on the definition and manifestations of dysphagia, but also on its link with undernutrition.
Dysphagia and undernutrition
Succeeding in eating without a swallowing disorder seems trivial for a large majority of the population. However, for all patients with dysphagia, this simple everyday reflex is a real challenge.
Indeed, dysphagia is a swallowing disorder, which is manifested by a feeling of discomfort or blockage felt during the passage of food from the mouth to the esophagus. Depending on the patient, dysphagia can be associated with different suggestive symptoms or signs:
- Loss of appetite or lack of interest in food;
- Fear or refusal to eat;
- A change in the duration of meals;
- Difficulty keeping food or saliva in the mouth;
- Discomfort when swallowing;
- Cough during meals;
- A feeling of blockage of food;
- Regurgitations.
What links?
Dysphagia and diet are therefore closely linked. Thus, among the health consequences of dysphagia are malnutrition and undernutrition. Indeed, dysphagia can lead to a progressive and chronic reduction in food intake leading to dehydration, malnutrition or even undernutrition, and loss of weight, and muscle strength.
When dysphagia is associated with undernutrition, the two phenomena will reciprocally accentuate each other, which sometimes causes serious deterioration in the patient’s state of health. Dysphagia should therefore be considered by health professionals as a major risk factor for malnutrition.
The causes of dysphagia
There are many causes of dysphagia :
- Infections, such as infections of the oral cavity, pharynx, or esophagus;
- Structural abnormalities of the digestive system (malformations, tumors);
- Neurological disorders following a cardiovascular accident or trauma;
- Myopathies ; _
- Certain metabolic diseases, such as diabetes or thyroid disorders;
- Taking certain medications;
- Psychiatric disorders.
It should be noted that in the elderly, dysphagia may be more difficult to diagnose since the cough reflex is diminished. In all cases, dysphagia and malnutrition must be diagnosed and managed together. Indeed, a dysphagic patient is at high risk of malnutrition and a malnourished patient is at high risk of dysphagia!