We have all been on medical appointments or received written test results that contain words we have never heard of let alone understand what they mean. This Food for Thought contains terms and their general meanings to help you start to navigate the world of eating, drinking, and swallowing, whether you have difficulty or not.

• Dysphagia: is the medical term for difficulty with swallowing (eating/drinking)
• Choking: when an object lodges (gets stuck) in the throat or windpipe blocking the flow or air
• Aspirating/Aspiration: a medical term for accidentally inhaling your food, liquid, or any foreign object through your vocal cords into your airway (to the lungs) and not through the esophagus (to the stomach)
• Pneumonia: an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs
• Altered/Modified textures: foods are prepared in a peculiar way that changes the original texture or consistency of them.
• Thickened liquids: liquids are prepared to increase their viscosity (thickness)
• Oral: having to do with the mouth
• Pharyngeal: related to or located in the region of the pharynx (commonly referred to as the throat)
• Esophagus/Esophageal: the hollow, muscular tube that passes food/liquid from your throat to your stomach.
• Cookie swallow test: also known as Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS) is a test used to view swallow function via video fluoroscopy (moving x-ray examination)
• Speech-Language-Pathologist: a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats communication and swallowing difficulties with people of all ages.
• Nutritionist: a health care professional who advises and helps individuals/care providers make informed dietary choices and lifestyle changes to promote good health
• Dietician: a healthcare professional specializing in food/nutrition, creating and implementing personalized nutrition plans to improve health
• Gastroenterologist: a medical doctor specializing in diagnosis and treatment of organs in your digestive system, including your GI tract (esophagus, stomach, and intestines) and biliary organs (liver, bile ducts, pancreas, and gallbladder)

Sources:  Mayo Clinic, American Speech and Hearing Association, Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Boston Medical Center