--- title: A Patient with Swallowing Difficulties? Clinicians should know... description: Dysphagia is among the most common conditions in home health patients and poses a great risk for re-hospitalization. image: https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hubfs/%20home-health-clinical-teaching%20CTA/img-Dysphagia-Diet.png --- [![PowerPath.ai](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png?width=2000&height=256&name=Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png "PowerPath.ai")](https://powerpath.ai/) - [How It Works](https://powerpath.ai/how-it-works/) - [Tools for Growth](https://powerpath.ai/tools-for-growth/) - [Meet Pattii](https://powerpath.ai/meet-pattii/) - [Resources](https://powerpath.ai/resources/) - [Blog](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog) - [About](https://powerpath.ai/about/) - [Contact](https://powerpath.ai/contact/) [My Account](https://secure.myhomecarebiz.com/) [Get Demo](https://melissa-myhomecarebiz.youcanbook.me/) ![BlogHeaderImg](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BlogHeaderImg.png?width=2000&height=666&name=BlogHeaderImg.png "BlogHeaderImg") # Home Health Insights Stay informed with the latest news in home health. ## Browse by Topic - [Regulatory News for Home Health & Hospice (173)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/regulatory-news-for-home-health-hospice) - [Clinical Best Practices for Home Health & Hospice (22)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/clinical-best-practices-for-home-health-hospice) - [Home Health Billing & Coding (21)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/home-health-billing-coding) - [Home Health Marketing (18)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/home-health-marketing) ## A Patient with Swallowing Difficulties? Clinicians should know... A Patient with Swallowing Difficulties? Clinicians should know... Posted by Joy Joan E. De Castro, RN, MSN on Aug 21, 2023 # A Patient with Swallowing Difficulties? Clinicians should know... Posted by [Joy Joan E. De Castro, RN, MSN](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/author/joy-joan-e-de-castro-rn-msn) on Aug 21, 2023 Dysphagia is among the most common conditions in home health patients and poses a great risk for re-hospitalization. Teaching and guidance on the [National Dysphagia Diet (NDD) Dysphagia Diet](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/download-dysphagia-diet) for patients with swallowing, feeding and eating difficulties should be included in your HHA's home health clinical policy and procedure manual. The easiest way to describe dysphagia is difficulty in swallowing. Unmanaged swallowing issues predispose the patient to aspiration pneumonia, choking, malnutrition and dehydration. ## What are the signs to watch out for when diagnosing dysphagia?[![Download the Swallowing Exercises Teaching Sheet](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/375308/328db014-e5ff-4d8d-8962-0ca098110929.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/375308/328db014-e5ff-4d8d-8962-0ca098110929) [Medical News Today](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/177473.php) links the following symptoms to dysphagia: •    Choking when eating. •    Coughing or gagging when swallowing. •    Drooling. •    Food or stomach acid backing up into the throat. •    Recurrent heartburn. •    Hoarseness. •    Sensation of food getting stuck in the throat or chest, or behind the breastbone. •    Unexplained weight loss. •    Bringing food back up (regurgitation). •    Difficulty controlling food in the mouth. •    Difficulty starting the swallowing process. •    Recurrent pneumonia. •    Inability to control saliva in the mouth. •    Patients may feel like "the food has got stuck." ## ![img-Dysphagia-Diet.png](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hubfs/%20home-health-clinical-teaching%20CTA/img-Dysphagia-Diet.png)What conditions predispose a patient to dysphagia? Dysphagia is usually caused by another health condition, such as: •    stroke •    nervous system disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Cerebral Palsy •    problems with esophagus, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) •    head or spinal cord injury •    cancer of the head, neck, or esophagus ## How is dysphagia treated?[![Download the Guidelines for National Dysphagia Diet](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/375308/05dffd99-0be3-4892-9be2-7ef7c77be0ec.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/375308/05dffd99-0be3-4892-9be2-7ef7c77be0ec) It is not always possible to totally resolve dysphagia but treatments may include: •    therapy with focus on swallowing techniques •    modifying the types of food based on the dysphagia severity level (a diet guide by American Dietetic Association is available for free download with this article) •    alternative feeding through gastric tube feeding or parenteral nutrition •    surgery to correct structures that causes impaired swallowing References: [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/177473.php](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/177473.php) [OASIS (M1033) Hospitalization Risks: Patient Teaching Plans](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/oasis-m1033-hospitalization-risks-patient-teaching-plans) [11 Screening Must-Dos Before Hiring Home Health Aide Jobs](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/11-must-do-home-health-aide-screening-activities) [Long-Term Anti-Coagulation Therapy? Monitor 2 things...](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/managing-the-home-health-patient-on-anticoagulation-therapy) Tags: [OASIS M1870 Eating & Feeding](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/oasis-m1870-eating-feeding) [![you will make Medicare happy](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/375308/98f7e1e7-1e9a-44ed-994f-96665cf71930.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/375308/98f7e1e7-1e9a-44ed-994f-96665cf71930) ### Topics - [Clinical Best Practices for Home Health & Hospice (22)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/clinical-best-practices-for-home-health-hospice) - [CMS News for Billing (6)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/cms-news-for-billing) - [Conditions of Participation (16)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/conditions-of-participation) - [COVID-19 (11)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/covid-19) - [DX Alzheimers/Dementia (3)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/dx-alzheimers-dementia) ### Recent Posts [![Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png?width=2000&height=256&name=Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png "Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263")](https://powerpath.ai/) ## AI-powered EMR and outcomes-based marketing tools that help home health agencies operate smarter, improve patient results, and grow referrals—all in one HIPAA-compliant platform. - [How It Works](https://powerpath.ai/how-it-works/) - [Tools for Growth](https://powerpath.ai/tools-for-growth/) - [Meet Pattii](https://powerpath.ai/meet-pattii/) - [Resources](https://powerpath.ai/resources/) - [Blog](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog) - [About](https://powerpath.ai/about/) - [Contact](https://powerpath.ai/contact/) [Get Demo](https://melissa-myhomecarebiz.youcanbook.me/) ## © 2026 PowerPath.ai. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited.