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Dangers of a Swallowing Problem!
If a swallowing problem remains untreated, the patient can become dehydrated because of inability to swallow liquids. The patient's alertness level may change. Or, the patient may lose weight and become malnourished because of difficulty eating foods that require a lot of chewing or foods of a particular thickness.
Pneumonia may also result from a swallowing problem if food or liquid gets into the lungs while swallowing. Or, the patient may have increased secretions as the lungs clean themselves of food or liquid. In order to prevent these medical problems, patients with suspected swallowing problems should receive careful evaluation, followed by carefully planned treatment.
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