Pharyngoplegia

Pharyngoplegia (Pharyngoplegia) is paralysis of the muscles of the pharynx. The pharynx is the part of the digestive tract between the nasopharynx and the esophagus. It consists of three sections: the nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx.

With pharyngoplegia, there is a weakening or complete loss of function of the muscles of the pharynx, which ensure the movement of food from the oral cavity into the esophagus. This leads to swallowing problems (dysphagia).

The causes of pharyngoplegia can be different:

1. Damage to the nuclei of the cranial nerves (glossopharyngeal, vagus, hypoglossal) innervating the muscles of the pharynx. This can occur with strokes, brain tumors, and traumatic brain injuries.

2. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease in which the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles is disrupted.

3. Poliomyelitis is an infection that affects the motor neurons of the spinal cord.

4. Botulism is food poisoning caused by a toxin from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, causing muscle paralysis.

Diagnosis of pharyngoplegia includes a neurological examination, swallowing function testing, and MRI of the brain.

Treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease. Drug therapy, physical therapy, and surgical methods can be used. If swallowing problems are severe, tube feeding may be required. The prognosis depends on the cause and extent of damage to the nervous system. With timely treatment, swallowing function can be restored.

Pharyngoplegia (pharyngoplégia; Latin fauces - pharynx, English paralysis - paralysis) is a paralyzed condition of the muscles of the floor of the mouth (epiglottis, tongue, anterior and lateral parts of the pharynx, diaphragm of the mouth), manifested by a violation of the act of swallowing and associated loud, intermittent and often painful labor when accepting and swallowing liquid and semi-liquid food. In addition, there is paresis of the soft palate, and the patient has a nasal sound. Pharyngoplegia develops more often against the background of damage to the medulla oblongata due to infection, intoxication with chemicals, or compression by a tumor. But sometimes it can be a consequence of diphtheria, and it occurs with severe damage to the larynx. Since this disease is often confused with vocal cord paralysis, this confusion can lead to complications, including anaphylactic shock. Treatment of fregegia is complex. The struggle to restore breathing begins, followed by the fight against asphyxia, elimination of respiratory disorders, resorption of the inflammatory process with the help of physiotherapy, physical therapy and massage. In case of vascular disorders, treatment is carried out with vasodilators, and in case of oncological origin - chemotherapy.