Back to Parkinson's Disease – Some Activities & Advice

There are risks associated with swallowing problems. Some of these are:

- Asphyxiation – food blockage of the airway which affects breathing;
- Aspiration pneumonia – an infection of the chest due to food, liquid or infections from the mouth entering the lungs rather than into the stomach;
- Malnutrition – not eating correctly so as to maintain reasonable health; This can create all sorts of serious problems;
- Dehydration – not drinking enough water which also leads to more serious complications including constipation.

Research has shown that these issues are not always recognized to the person with Parkinson's Disease. This can lead to food entering the airway and flowing into the lungs without any of the usual signs of coughing or choking.

View full topics