Causes of dysphagia 


Some causes of dysphagia are explained below.

Neurological causes

The nervous system is made up of the brain, nerves and spinal cord. Damage to the nervous system can interfere with the nerves responsible for starting and controlling swallowing. This can lead to dysphagia.

Some neurological causes of dysphagia include:

Congenital and developmental conditions


Congenital or developmental conditions that may cause dysphagia include: 




Some causes of obstruction and narrowing include:

  • pharyngeal (throat) pouches, also known as Zenker diverticulum – where a large sac develops in the upper part of the oesophagus, which reduces the ability to swallow both liquids and solids; it's a rare condition that mainly affects older people
  • eosinophilic oesophagitis – where a type of white blood cell known as an eosinophil builds up in the lining of the oesophagus as the result of a reaction to foods, allergens, or acid reflux; the build-up damages the lining of the oesophagus and causes swallowing difficulties
  • radiotherapy treatment – this can cause scar tissue, which narrows the passageway in your throat and oesophagus
  • infections, such as tuberculosis or thrush – these can lead to inflammation of the oesophagus (oesophagitis)

Muscular conditions


Two muscular conditions associated with dysphagia are:


Other causes

As you get older, the muscles used for swallowing can become weaker. This may explain why dysphagia is relatively common in elderly people. Treatment is available to help people with age-related dysphagia.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a collection of lung conditions that make it difficult to breathe in and out properly. Breathing difficulties can sometimes affect your ability to swallow.


Page last reviewed: 19/01/2015

Next review due: 01/09/2017