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Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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Depending upon the individual situation, dietary modifications may be a necessary step in the treatment of dysphagia, particularly when the underlying abnormality is functional. A soft or pureed diet may be recommended.

Physical therapy may be an important component of treatment for some patients. Physical therapy and rehabilitation measures may include recommendations such as:

• changing the head position while eating,
• exercises that retrain the musculature involved with swallowing, or
• strength and coordination exercises for the tongue, lips, or jaws.

A speech-language pathologist may be a member of the evaluation and treatment team and can be of help in prescribing rehabilitation exercises for the muscles of the mouth and tongue.

If the individual has symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), avoidance of eating prior to bedtime, smoking cessation, maintaining an upright posture after eating, and certain medications (see below) may help relieve symptoms.

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