One of the procedures used to investigate problems with swallowing is;
Videofluoroscopy
This is an xray that looks at the way your swallowing works.
The test does not involve any tubes and it doesn’t hurt.
This is one of the procedures arranged by a Speech Therapist.
Oh, and I forgot…I also sometimes have trouble with choking on saliva while I’m sleeping. I will wake up coughing and gagging. Don’t know if anyone else deals with this and if it’s due to the ataxia or something else.
HI:-)
I can choke on saliva. Luckily it’s been during the day, it must be really scary at night.
It’s like an involuntary swallowing, very weird, and Ataxia related. It’s always when I
least expect it, I’m always taken by surprise. xB
I, like Beryl, can choke on my own saliva during the day! I have sleep apnea, so use a C-Pap machine when I sleep, maybe that helps, as I've not experienced saliva choking at night. Sometimes, when I take my mask off in the morning while still in bed, I'll start to cough (coughing fit), although I can have those during the day also, especially when drinking liquid or after eating dinner. I have a strong cough, been told by a speech therapist that's a good thing! I also find if I chew 2 sticks of sugarless gum after dinner, that helps! ;o)
Rose, do you ever have sneezing attacks? I say attacks because the sneezes are
really vigorous, if I’m not sitting down, I literally shake around on my feet.
I have wondered if the sneezing had anything to do with saliva or food going down
the wrong way. You know, maybe a build up in the tubes or whatever, causing
irritation? xB
I think sneezing and coughing can both be problems for us because when you go to cough or sneeze you take a big breath first and if you have something in the mouth you can easily breath it in.I have had trouble with cookies and also with ice cream.
Please, please get your husband to a good speech therapist. He/She can give him exercises that will strengthen the muscles used in swallowing. Moreover, these same exercises can, with repeated use, help him to develop his conscious awareness of of this once, taken for granted, process - swallowing. I used to spontaneously and somewhat regularly inhale my own saliva. Working with a speech therapist made this only an occasional occurence.
Similar to rose, I was told it was acid reflux that hits my vocal cords. I was put on omeprazole 40 mg. it works great! My choking on nothing/spit or a liquid has stopped as long as I’m taking my meds.