What Is Dysphagia? What Causes Dysphagia?

Dysphagia is a medical term that is used to refer to difficulties with swallowing. The level of dysphagia varies. Some people have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, while others are completely unable to swallow. It takes more time and effort to move food or liquid from the mouth to the stomach. Difficulty swallowing may also be associated with pain. Persistent difficulty swallowing may indicate a serious medical condition requiring treatment.

The term “dysphagia” derives from the Greek root dys meaning “difficulty or disordered”, and phagia meaning “to eat”.

According to Medilexicon’s medical dictionary:

Dysphagia is “Difficulty in swallowing“.

Difficulty in swallowing can occur at any age, but is more common in older adults. The incidence of dysphagia is higher in the elderly, in patients who have had strokes, and in patients who are admitted to acute care hospitals or chronic care facilities. The causes of swallowing difficulties vary, and treatment depends on the cause. Dysphagia frequently arises as a complication of another health condition, such as a stroke, throat and mouth cancer or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Read more

Obesity In Girls Triggered By Stress Hormone, Depression

Depression raises stress hormone levels in adolescent boys and girls but may lead to obesity only in girls, according to researchers. Early treatment of depression could help reduce stress and control obesity – a major health issue.

“This is the first time cortisol reactivity has been identified as a mediator between depressed mood and obesity in girls,” said Elizabeth J. Susman, the Jean Phillips Shibley professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. “We really haven’t seen this connection in kids before, but it tells us that there are biological risk factors that are similar for obesity and depression.”

Cortisol, a hormone, regulates various metabolic functions in the body and is released as a reaction to stress. Researchers have long known that depression and cortisol are related to obesity, but they had not figured out the exact biological mechanism.

Although it is not clear why high cortisol reactions translate into obesity only for girls, scientists believe it may be due to physiological and behavioral differences — estrogen release and stress eating in girls — in the way the two genders cope with anxiety. Read more

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