Dysphagia-- People with dysphagia have difficult and sometimes painful swallowing. Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing may cause dysphagia. For example, people with diseases such as cerebral palsy or Parkinson's disease, those who may have suffered from a stroke or head injury may experience dysphagia. Also, an infection or irritation can cause narrowing of the esophagus. In addition, cancer of the head, neck, or esophagus may cause swallowing problems.

Halitosis-- Halitosis is bad breath. Halitosis may be related to a variety of causes, including bacterial infections and medications.

Hoarseness--Hoarseness is a term that is commonly used to describe abnormal voice changes. When hoarse, the voice may sound breathy, raspy, strained, or there may be changes in volume (loudness) or pitch (how high or low the voice is). Causes of hoarseness may include acute laryngitis, upper respiratory tract viral infection, allergies, excessive voice use, reflux disease and smoking. The physician may perform a laryngoscopy or videostroboscopy to obtain an accurate diagnosis and cause of hoarseness.

Laryngitis--Laryngitis, an inflammation of the larynx (voice box), occurs in two forms. Acute, which lasts only a few days; and chronic, which persists over a period of weeks or months. The most common symptom of either form is hoarseness that may, within several days, progress to partial or total loss of voice. Fever, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing may occur as well.

Leukoplakia--Leukoplakia is a common, potentially pre-cancerous disease of the mouth that involves the development of white spots on the mucous membranes of the tongue and inside of the mouth. The white coating of throat/tongue is commonly caused by yeast infections, overuse of antibiotics, persistent irritation. The risk is much higher in smokers and users of smokeless tobacco than in people who do not use tobacco products of any kind.

Oral Cancer--Cancer of the lip and oral cavity is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the tissues of the lip or mouth.

Sleep Apnea--There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. In all three types of apnea, people with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep. With each loss of breath, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is sporadic and of poor quality. Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches.

Tongue-Tied--A condition in which the frenulum (central membrane under the tongue) extends to the edge of the under-tongue. This causes restricted movement during speech and swallowing.

Tonsillitis and Adenoiditis--Tonsillitis refers to the inflammation of a tonsil. Tonsillitis is usually a result of highly contagious bacterial or viral infections. The most common cause of tonsillitis is the Streptococcus (strep) bacteria. Some symptoms of tonsillitis include: swollen, red tonsils (often coated with a yellow, gray, or white film), blisters on the throat, pain with swallowing, loss of appetite and fever. Persistent tonsillar infections may require surgical removal of the tonsils.

Vocal Cord Nodules--A vocal cord nodule is a small, inflammatory or fibrous growth that develops on the vocal cords of people who constantly strain their voices, have chronic allergy symptoms, and are exposed to chronic inhalation of irritants (industrial fumes, cigarette smoke). A nodule has a structural resemblance to a corn on a toe or a callus on the hand. If one has vocal cord nodules, the voice will become breathy and hoarse. A videostroboscopy may be performed to obtain diagnosis of a vocal cord nodule.

Vocal Cord Polyp--A vocal cord polyp is a small swelling in the mucous membranes covering the vocal cords. Polyps are commonly caused by allergies, persistent irritation of the throat and excessive use of the voice. They may run the whole length of the vocal cords or be localized. A videostroboscopy may be performed to obtain diagnosis of a vocal cord polyp.