What does dysphagia mean?

This term refers to difficulty swallowing caused by weakness or stiffness of the tongue and throat. Liquids or solid food particles can only be moved with difficulty—the swallowing process is impaired. In ALS, dysphagia is a common symptom that usually occurs in conjunction with dysarthria. As the disease progresses, dysphagia can range from mild dysphagia (occasional choking or difficulty positioning food in the mouth) to severe dysphagia (laborious swallowing, such that only liquid foods can be consumed). A complete loss of the ability to swallow is referred to as “aphagia.”