The treatments for dysphagia in Parkinson’s patients include functional training, medication, nasogastric tube intubation, etc. Different therapies are chosen according to the severity of the disease.
Functional training is suitable for mild dysphagia, chewing and swallowing function training under the guidance of specialized doctors, which helps to restore swallowing function and improve the symptoms of dysphagia.
Patients may have their dysphagia aggravated due to insufficient dosage of medication or diminished efficacy. Appropriate addition of dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase inhibitors will help to improve the symptoms.
If none of the above methods can relieve the symptoms, and the patient’s dysphagia worsens and he/she is unable to eat, a nasogastric tube intubation is needed for nutritional support. Nasogastric tube intubation inserts a tube through the nasal cavity into the esophagus into the human stomach to input nutrient solution to maintain the patient’s life.
Parkinson’s patients should pay attention to actively control their condition under the guidance of professional doctors, eat a reasonable diet, try to consume soft food, and ensure that they chew their food thoroughly. If dysphagia is found to be aggravated, they must seek timely medical treatment under the guidance of a doctor to avoid delaying their condition.