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A member asked:
My friend is 80 years old he has a tough time swallowing. do you think he has a cancer?
8 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Throat : Unlikely, elderly people often have trouble swallowing especially big pills. Recommend he see his doctor to rule out serious stuff and hopefully improve the problem.
Answered 3/24/2020
5.7k views
Speech pathologist: It is more likely that aging has resulted in poor neurologic control of muscle coordination. Swallowing difficulties are quite common in older people. A speech pathologist can evaluate swallowing disorders and suggest alterations to foods for preventing aspiration of food into lungs.
Answered 3/12/2013
5.7k views
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