You may have trouble with eating and drinking due to:
- General fatigue and weakness which can impact greatly on your chewing and swallowing.
- If you have been very unwell in hospital and needed a tube to help your breathing you could have swelling and an uncomfortable feeling in your throat
- If you did not eat and drink for a period of time in hospital, your swallowing muscles may have become weaker.
Things to look out for when eating and drinking
- Coughing or choking when eating and drinking
- Throat clearing when eating and drinking
- Gurgly/wet voice
- Recurrent chest infections
- Unable to eat and drink adequate amounts/weight loss - as a result of difficulties swallowing
- Feeling as though food is getting stuck
- Anxiety about swallowing
Where to get help
If you experience any of the above you can contact you GP and ask them to refer to your Local Speech and Language Therapy team, or contact them directly on 01267 227425.
They can give you advice about how to make eating and drinking easier by changing the texture of food and drinks. You may also be given a program of exercises to help strengthen your swallow.