The manifestation of phlegm in the throat of patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease may be related to factors such as swallowing dysfunction and prolonged bed rest, which cause poor phlegm expulsion.
If the nerves and muscles that manage the swallowing function of patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease degenerate, the saliva in the mouth cannot be swallowed into the esophagus, and phlegm in the throat will appear. Patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease are often bedridden for long periods of time, making it difficult for them to sit up and expel phlegm on their own, which can also cause phlegm to collect in the throat.
Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease of the nervous system caused by the degeneration and death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. In the early stages of the disease, patients will have static tremor and cogwheel-like ankylosis, and in the late stages, they will also have cognitive decline and mental and emotional changes.
If Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed as advanced stage and the patient has phlegm in the throat, family members can turn the patient over and pat the patient’s back to help the patient expel phlegm, and family members can also consult with the doctor and follow the doctor’s instructions for treatment and care.