Many people with Parkinson’s have complications swallowing; the medical term for this is dysphagia and the signs and symptoms are usually episodes of coughing and alterations in voice quality. These swallowing difficulties can end up being fatal. These difficulties are most prevalent in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease affecting the quality of life having the likelihood of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration. Aspiration pneumonia is the primary cause of death for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. This is created by the lungs and air flow pathways becoming inflamed and infected as swallowing food substances goes to the lungs rather than to the stomach. This is life-threatening since the risk of asphyxiation or choking to death is when food stuff obstructs the air passages.

The preliminary symptoms are generally not being able to chew food properly and thoroughly then swallow causing some food to remain in the mouth called piecemeal swallowing. Having food stuff remaining in the mouth it goes down the throat leading to coughing and hacking or choking getting caught in the throat or goes into the lungs bypassing the esophagus to the stomach. The esophagus is the muscular passageway moving food into the stomach to begin digestion. A gurgle or garbled voice is an additional indicator to watch for as well as retaining food or liquid in the mouth. Parkinson’s may result in the muscles in the jaw and face to deteriorate or weaken, affecting the control over chewing and swallowing. The weakened muscles furthermore decrease the tightness of closing the lips. If an individual can’t close their lips firmly it will be difficult to swallow medications there could be weight loss, heartburn symptoms as well as sore throats.

Swallowing difficulties can have an undesirable an adverse impact on the quality of day to day life as eating is such a sociable endeavor both at home and out for a social functions. With Parkinson’s disease there are going to physical transformations, several of which will impact the dexterity of eating, the challenges of chewing and swallowing which might make sharing meals difficult, specifically in a social scenario. Individuals with Parkinson’s justifiability will be concerned with the potential messes brought on when eating and the time period it requires consuming a meal. Additionally the fear of embarrassment from the swallowing troubles leading to choking. This places family and also friends in a precarious situation on what exactly to perform if they aren’t educated and knowledgeable on process of what to do in event of choking.  This often results in the person with Parkinson’s starts consuming less food, don’t appreciate eating, self-conscious, panicked, stressed all leading to weight loss. Additionally consuming medications may become quite tricky and problematic.

It is not un-common for people with Parkinson’s to have complications with drooling as many can’t control saliva the medical term is sialorrhea. Parkinson’s disease has effects on the tendency to swallow or slows it down drastically from rigidity this results in saliva remaining in the mouth. The saliva pools in the mouth area rather than being swallowed and leaking out of the side of the mouth. Stooping or bent posture with the head down and the mouth open the salvia has a tendency to dribble out of the mouth. Be conscious of this drooling and dribbling as it might lead to open soars at the nook of the mouth.