<unk>  is defined as "difficulty swallowing."  It is a sensation that suggests difficulty in the passage of solids or liquids from the mouth to the stomach. According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) which is endorsed by the WHO,<unk>  is a symptom rather than a disease.<unk>  can result from propulsive failure, motility disorders, structural disorders, intrinsic or extrinsic compression of the oropharynx or esophagus.<unk>  is distinguished from similar symptoms including odynophagia, which is defined as painful swallowing, and globus, which is the sensation of a lump in the throat. The endoscopy for esophageal<unk>  should be performed when the patient presented with symptoms of difficulty swallowing, painful swallowing, and aspiration. This is the standard test performed when the patient has a risk of developing pneumonia and diagnosing swallowing difficulties. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study is performed for oropharyngeal<unk> . It provides information about delay in initiation of pharyngeal swallowing, nasopharyngeal regurgitation, residue of ingested food within the pharyngeal cavity after swallowing, and aspiration of ingested food. The cornerstone of any<unk>  evaluation is a detailed history and a thorough review of symptoms that can differentiate esophageal from oropharyngeal<unk>  and help predict the specific etiology of<unk>  with an accuracy of approximately 80% confirmed by specific testing. How a patient describes his or her difficulty and its timing, associated symptoms, and other characterizations may specifically denote the anatomic level of swallowing dysfunction.
Dysphagia
Odynophagia
Anismus
Drooling
Xerostomia
Trismus
Excessive tearing
Gastroparesis