Anyone struggling with dysphagia will understand the severity of this affliction. It affects the ability to swallow and can cause a considerable amount of pain while eating and drinking. Finding ways to make this essential daily process more palatable is the only way forward. If you have recently been diagnosed, or are in the process of seeking a diagnosis for dysphagia, here are the five most useful tips to help you while you adapt to this new outlook.
Find a Product That Makes Life Easier
There are plenty of products for a variety of medical conditions out there worthy of your time and energy. For dysphagia, you can see from the SimplyThick Instagram, that this product is specifically tailored for people who are struggling to maintain nutritional balance in their life as a direct result of their symptoms. Eating and drinking are not easy when it causes so much pain, but humans need nutrients to stay alive. So, finding a way to make that easier is always welcome and products like this can really give this experience a positive boost and make it more manageable overall.
Understand Your Limitations
Even if it means you have to give up your favorite meal, it will be more than worth it to maintain a good level of health. Sometimes, health conditions mean sacrifice. Dysphagia is one of those times, and though you are allowed to feel grief at the thought of saying goodbye to your firm food favorites, the time to act is now. There is little to no point in eating or drinking something that is going to cause you unnecessary pain and suffering. Understand your limits and get to know what makes you feel worse vs. what is more tolerable.
Try Therapeutic Routes
There are certain swallowing therapies that can make you feel better. While it’s not suitable for every single dysphagia case, for instance, if the cause is something like cancer, it definitely helps in some cases. Therapy may feel like a daunting prospect, but it is something that will enrich your life and make your condition heal in certain contexts.
Don’t Ignore It
If things get worse, do not ignore them! This is a big red flag and it needs to be discussed with a health expert such as your doctor. Anything that deteriorates in your physical health needs input in case there is a definitive cause, and you need a specific treatment plan that you are able to access.
Adjust Your Eating and Drinking Habits
Finally, just like you would adjust to a broken leg, you should think about how your current eating and drinking habits are making life more difficult. Think about what you’re eating and drinking and adapt your routine to make life easier. Self-management is definitely a skill you have to work on, but it is more than worth the investment. Chew your food more slowly, and always cut it up into smaller pieces so that you are not overloading your body during a meal.
Dysphagia is one of those conditions that have a range of causes behind it. The symptoms are difficult to live with, and there should always be input from your doctor if the condition is persistent.
