Module: Dysphagia and the Digestive Tract
Janet L. Poole, PhD, OTR/L, and Cindy Mendelson, PhD, RN, and Dinesh Khanna, MD, MS
Reflux means that acid comes back up from the stomach into the esophagus, or food pipe. Reflux is caused by a weak valve between the stomach and the esophagus. The symptoms are similar to those of dysphagia and include:
- Burning feeling behind the breastbone.
- Dry cough at night.
- Chest pain behind the breastbone.
- Frequent hoarse voice, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
- Spitting out undigested food from the mouth.
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
- Sores in the mouth.
- Acid taste in the mouth.