Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Changes to swallowing as you age
Swallowing is a complicated process involving many muscles and nerves. As people age, they may experience changes to their swallow- these changes can be a normal part of getting older.
You may notice the following changes in your swallowing, eating and drinking:
- Reduced sense of smell/taste and saliva
- Eating and drinking slightly less due to loss of appetite
- Difficulty chewing because of loss of teeth or badly-fitting dentures
- Food ‘catching’ or ‘sticking’ in the throat when you swallow, particularly dry or tough foods
- It takes longer to swallow and you may need to swallow more than once with each mouthful
- More food left in the mouth after swallowing and needing a drink to clear it
- It takes more effort to eat very hard, crunchy, chewy or stringy foods.
Advice
To continue to enjoy eating and drinking as you age, trying some of the following techniques might help:
When to consult a doctor about changes in your eating, drinking and swallowing
Some changes to a person’s swallow may be because a person has developed dysphagia, the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Dysphagia can lead to serious complications like aspiration pneumonia, dehydration, malnutrition and choking; so, if you are worried about any of the following, please seek advice from your doctor:
- Coughing or choking regularly when you eat or drink
- Feeling of food/drink getting ’stuck’ after you swallow
- Needing to clear your throat often when eating/drinking
- Eating and drinking much more slowly than usual
- Eating and drinking much less than usual
- If you no longer enjoy eating or drinking
- Recurrent chest infections.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Speech and language therapy service.
About this information
Service:
Speech and language therapy
Reference:
VV/007
Approval date:
27 September 2024
Review date:
1 September 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.