Voice Disorders
Keeping your voice healthy will ensure you are able to communicate properly, and for some people who rely on it to earn a living – singers, teachers and lawyers, for instance – good voice health is essential. These same individuals tend to put more strain on their vocal cords.
Even those whose professions don’t require constant speaking still suffer when experiencing voice-related health issues. It is estimated that 7.5 million people experience voice disorders.
More About Voice Disorders
Swallowing Disorders
When you swallow, you are chewing food and moving it to the esophagus, a tube that connects to the stomach. Dysphagia, the medical term for difficulty swallowing, is characterized by the sensation of food or liquid getting stuck in the throat or chest. There are numerous factors that can cause swallowing difficulty, most of them fairly benign.
The Swallowing Process
Few of us give much thought to the act of swallowing, but it’s actually a complex process that involves around 50 pairs of muscles and nerves
There are four stages that make up the swallowing process:
- Stage 1:Oral preparation stage. Food is chewed to prepare for swallowing.
- Stage 2:Oral stage. The tongue pushes food or liquid to the back of the mouth.
- Stage 3: Pharyngeal stage. Food or liquid passes through the pharynx into the esophagus.
- Stage 4: Esophageal stage. Food or liquid passes through the esophagus and enters the stomach.
