Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing.

Swallowing difficulty

is the inability to swallow foods or liquids with ease. People who have a hard time swallowing may choke on their food or liquid when trying to swallow. This symptom isn’t always indicative of a medical condition and may be temporary and go away on its own. Some medical conditions that require treatment include:

acid reflux

, heartburn, goiters and Parkinsons Disease. Treatments can include; medications, diet modification, swallowing exercises and posture modifications while eating.

Dysphagia

is distinguished from other symptoms including odynophagia, which is defined as painful swallowing, and globus, which is the sensation of a lump in the throat. A psychogenic dysphagia (fear of swallowing) is known as

phagophobia

.