A 60-year-old man with Multiple Sclerosis reports that he is having difficulty swallowing his food. What could be the cause and what should be the next steps?
This patient is experiencing dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, which can occur in Multiple Sclerosis due to damage to the nerves that control swallowing. He should be referred to a speech-language pathologist for a swallowing evaluation. If necessary, he may need to learn new ways to eat and drink safely to prevent aspiration.