Speech Therapy For Aerodigestive Disorders

Aerodigestive disorders impact your upper digestive tract and respiratory tract.

As a result, people with these types of disorders commonly experience symptoms surrounding breathing, swallowing, and speaking.

If you’re living with an aerodigestive disorder, you might’ve noticed certain vocal changes.

For instance, you may experience vocal weakness or pitch changes.

Aerodigestive disorders can lead to a variety of other symptoms; however, many people find these vocal changes especially distressing.

Your voice is a big part of your identity.

It’s what you use to share your ideas, thoughts, and emotions.

Your friends and loved ones can use your voice to audible identify you amongst a crowd.

Therefore, sudden vocal changes are usually very noticeable to others around you and can ultimately feel very embarrassing or even isolating.

Does this experience sound familiar?

If so, speech therapy can help.

At our DC speech therapy clinic, we know how important your voice can be.

We provide a judgment free, safe space where you can manage your aerodigestive disorder symptoms.

Our speech therapists are trained to help you strengthen the muscles commonly affected by these disorders.

Today we take a closer look at how this disorder works, and how speech therapy can help.

What Is The Aerodigestive Tract?

Your aerodigestive tract has a variety of components.

This includes all the organs and tissues found in your upper digestive tract and respiratory tract.

Examples include:

• Your airway (pharynx and larynx)
• Pulmonary tract (trachea, bronchi, and lungs)
• Esophagus
• Lips
• Mouth
• Tongue
• Nose
• Throat
• Vocal cords
• Windpipe

Your aerodigestive tract is responsible for both breathing and swallowing.

RELATED ARTICLE: Pediatric Speech Therapy For Feeding And Swallowing Disorders.

It helps keep your airway clear while you eat and drink.

It also allows for ample airflow to support your lungs.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, children are more likely to accidentally inhale foreign bodies into their aerodigestive tracts.

This is partially because the structure of the aerodigestive tract is different in infants and toddlers than it is in adults.

What Are Aerodigestive Disorders?

Aerodigestive disorders are a group of conditions that may affect your respiratory and swallowing functions.

Voice problems are one of the most common symptoms.

Many people with aerodigestive disorders also have trouble swallowing while eating.

Surgery and intubation or interventions for aerodigestive disorders can also contribute to these complications.

Some aerodigestive disorders are acquired.

Acquired aerodigestive disorders occur following some sort of accident or medical condition, such as a respiratory injury or viral infection like ear infections.

They may also develop following prolonged exposure to chemicals or pollutants.

Other aerodigestive disorders are developmental.

This means that they developed over time.

Finally, some people are diagnosed with congenital aerodigestive disorders.

These types of aerodigestive disorders appear at birth due to genetics.

You can have more than one disorder, as they aren’t mutually exclusive.

Aerodigestive Disorders Of The Airway

Some aerodigestive disorders primarily impact your airway.

Here are some (though not nearly all) of the common aerodigestive disorders of the airway:

• Chronic cough
• Epiglottitis
• Irritable larynx
• Fungal infections of the pharynx
• Laryngeal clefts, paralysis, stenosis, or webs
• Muscle tension dysphagia and dysphonia
• Breathing and swallowing incoordination
• Structural changes, such as injury, radiation therapy, or intubation

Aerodigestive Disorders Of The Pulmonary Tract

Other aerodigestive disorders primarily affect your pulmonary tract.

Aerodigestive disorders of the pulmonary tract (trachea, bronchi, and lungs) include but aren’t limited to:

• Bronchomalacia
• Chronic lung disease
• Tracheoesophageal fistula
• Infectious diseases that affect pulmonary function
• Tracheal stenosis
• Neoplasms
• Structural or physiological changes
• Tracheal stenosis
• Tracheomalacia

Aerodigestive Disorders Of The Upper Digestive Tract

Finally, aerodigestive disorders may also impact your upper digestive tract.

Aerodigestive disorders that affect the upper digestive tract can include some of the following:

• Esophageal motility disorder, including spasm and achalasia
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Esophageal structural disorders such as stricture, web, diverticulum, and ring
• Inflammatory forms of esophagitis like eosinophilic, viral, and reflux

Symptoms Of Aerodigestive Disorders

Aerodigestive disorders can affect a wide range of body parts and functions.

Therefore, the possible signs and symptoms may vary greatly from person to person.

The severity of your symptoms may also vary.

Symptoms may include:

• Choking and coughing
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Vomiting or regurgitation after eating
• High pitched breathing
• Frequent croup
• Chronic respiratory infections
• Airway reflux
• Chronic asthma

Consider booking an appointment for an evaluation if you’re experiencing persistent swallowing or breathing difficulties.

Many people also experience a change in their thirst or appetite.

You may experience an aversion or disinterest in food, avoidance of certain foods, or wanting to avoid eating in public spaces.

Some people find eating and swallowing particularly difficult due to chronic cough or choking.

Other vocal symptoms include breathiness, pain while speaking, and vocal fatigue.

You may also notice changes to your voice’s pitch, weak volume, or a strained quality to your voice.

Paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM) involves symptoms that include difficulty inhaling, exhaling, or both.

What Causes Aerodigestive Disorders?

There are a variety of causes of aerodigestive disorders.

According to The American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association, aerodigestive disorder causes are classified as one of the following: congenital, structural, functional, or caused by other medical conditions.

Congenital causes might include atypical development.

For instance, some premature babies are born with underdeveloped airways or respiratory systems.

Structural aerodigestive disorder causes include injuries, weaknesses, or dysfunctions in the aerodigestive tract.

Examples include injuries impacting the airway, pulmonary, or digestive functions or esophageal sphincter weakness.

Functional causes include emotional stressors, such as fear and anxiety, exercise, or environmental irritants, such as smoke or pollutants.

Finally, aerodigestive disorders may also develop due to a co-occurring condition or disorder.

Examples include:

• Chronic cough
• Asthma
• Esophageal disease
• Sinusitis
• Rhinitis
• Postnasal drip
• Autonomic dysfunction
• Cardiovascular disorders
• Pulmonary disease
• Neurological conditions
• Respiratory failure recovery

At District Speech and Language Therapy, we can help you determine the exact underlying cause(s) of your aerodigestive disorder.

How Can Speech Therapy For Aerodigestive Disorders Help?

A speech therapist is a vital asset in treating your aerodigestive disorder.

Vocal symptoms are often especially challenging to deal with.

You might experience pitch changes due to inflammation or notice that it takes increased effort to speak.

Your speech therapist will work with you to create a plan that will address the difficulties that have come up due to your aerodigestive disorder.

They may suggest breathing exercises that can improve your vocal resonance.

They may also suggest muscle exercises to retrain and strengthen the muscles that support your aerodigestive tract.

Speech therapy can be individually tailored to your needs as you navigate what can be a complicated and stressful disorder.

Book Your Appointment With District Speech and Language Therapy Today

If you’re thinking you could benefit from speech therapy for your aerodigestive disorder, there’s help available.

You don’t have to face this alone.

At District Speech and Language Therapy, we can help you work on a variety of vocal aspects and give you the confidence to use your voice again.

Book your appointment with our speech therapy clinic today to find out more about how we can help.