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Recognising the problem

If you know you find swallowing difficult, and you have experienced any of the symptoms listed in the previous section you should seek professional help. Self-recognition is the first step to diagnosis and treatment.

Not only can GPs give you some idea of the nature of your problem, they can also ensure that you are referred to the best person for further investigations and treatment. The important point is that professional help exists and it should be actively sought.

What a GP can investigate

A GP can assess what is actually happening in your mouth. They can check if there are problems with your cough or swallowing reflexes, and have a good idea if your larynx is doing its job properly in protecting your airways and lungs from stray food and fluid.

When the problem is hidden out of sight, it is important to know whether it is structural or functional.

If yours is a structural problem, it means that your oesophagus (throat) is too narrow to enable food to slip easily into the stomach; if yours is a functional problem, the muscular mechanism that passes food and liquid from your mouth to your stomach is not working properly.

Sometimes these initial assessments do not reveal anything. At other times, it is clear that there is a specific problem, and the GP may refer you to a specialist for further investigations.

What a specialist can investigate

  • Investigations carried out by a specialist may be uncomfortable at times and it is important that you understand fully what is going to happen. Ask as many questions as you wish.


  • The back of the tongue, throat and laryrnx can be examined visually using an instrument called a flexible laryngoscope, which will be put into your mouth.


  • The stomach can be examined visually using an instrument called an endoscope, which can take place under an anaesthetic.


  • You may be asked to swallow some liquid while X-rays are taken which will show where the liquid goes (barium swallow). This procedure can be modified so that the swallowing is captured on video. This enables doctors to see what actually happens to liquids, semi-liquids, and solid food as they are swallowed (modified barium swallow or videofluoroscopy)