According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), GERD can cause stomach juices to flow up into your esophagus all the way up to your throat. When this happens at night, you may wake up with the sensation of choking on your saliva, but you are really experiencing nighttime acid … Read More
ALS—the abbreviation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—is a rare neurological disorder that's eventually fatal. It was July 4, 1939, when Lou Gehrig made his famous "luckiest man alive" speech at Yankee Stadium, an event that helped give widespread attention to ALS. Gehrig, when he was diagnosed, was only 36 years old … Read More
If you have trouble swallowing, you have dysphagia. If that trouble swallowing is associated with pain, it’s called odynophagia. These are big words for an annoying—and potentially dangerous—disorder that most of us call “trouble swallowing.” According to the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders, the number of those who have trouble … Read More
Nearly 7.5 million Americans have difficulty using their voices, claims the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Whether they were born with a condition that makes it hard to verbalize (i.e. autism) or developed speech difficulties following an accident or stroke (i.e. aphasia), these people have one major … Read More
Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when the contents of the stomach pass into the esophagus and cause inflammation. For many people, it causes mild but unpleasant symptoms of heartburn, regurgitation, and trouble swallowing, but if left untreated, it can increase the risk of stomach cancer. … Read More
Dysphagia is a condition that can occur at any age, although it’s more common in older adults. It falls into one of the following categories: Esophageal dysphagia: This is the feeling that food gets stuck in your throat or in your chest. Oropharyngeal dysphagia: This occurs when certain conditions weaken your … Read More
Over a lifespan, celiac disease symptoms tend to shift from primarily gastrointestinal ones in children (diarrhea, bloating, pain) to "non-classical" or "subclinical" ones in adults (fatigue, anemia, arthritis, and numbness/tingling in the fingers and toes). Non-classical symptoms can make celiac disease harder to spot, particularly if a patient has other … Read More
