Overview

A member of your healthcare team will likely ask you for a description and history of your swallowing difficulties, perform a physical exam, and use various tests to find the cause of your swallowing problem.

Tests can include:

  • X-ray with a contrast material, called a barium X-ray. You drink a barium solution that coats the esophagus, making it easier to see on X-rays. A healthcare team can then see changes in the shape of the esophagus and can check the muscular activity.

    You also may be asked to swallow solid food or a pill coated with barium. This allows the healthcare team to watch the muscles in the throat during swallowing or to look for blockages in the esophagus that the liquid barium solution might not show.

  • Dynamic swallowing study. This study involves swallowing barium-coated foods of different consistencies. It provides an image of these foods as they travel down the throat. The images might show problems in the coordination of the mouth and throat muscles during swallowing. The images also can show if food is going into the breathing tube.
  • Endoscopy. Endoscopy involves passing a thin, flexible lighted instrument, called an endoscope, down the throat. This allows your healthcare team to see your esophagus. Tissue samples, called biopsies, may be collected. The samples are studied to look for inflammation, eosinophilic esophagitis, narrowing or a tumor.
  • Fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). During a FEES study, a healthcare professional examines the throat with an endoscope during swallowing.
  • Esophageal muscle test, called manometry. In manometry (muh-NOM-uh-tree), a small tube is inserted into the esophagus and connected to a pressure recorder to measure the muscle contractions of the esophagus during swallowing.
  • Imaging scans. These can include a CT scan or an MRI scan. A CT scan combines a series of X-ray views and computer processing to create cross-sectional images of the body’s bones and soft tissues. An MRI scan uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues.
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Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart failure.
  • Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
  • Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
  • Don't smoke or use tobacco.
  • Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
  • Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Reduce and manage stress.


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