Stroke Recovery: Coping With Eating Problems

Overview

Some people have trouble swallowing, called dysphagia, after a stroke. You may not be able to feel food on one or both sides of your mouth. You may also have problems chewing or producing enough saliva. Or you may have other conditions that make eating difficult and increase your risk of choking or breathing in food or liquids (aspiration).

Other things that may interfere with normal eating include:

• Problems seeing or judging where things are, especially on the side of your body affected by the stroke.
• Problems recognizing familiar objects or remembering how to do everyday things.
• Paralysis or weakness or trouble controlling movements (apraxia).
• Problems with smell, taste, or the sense of feeling.
• Depression, which can cause a loss of appetite and requires treatment.

If you have eating problems after a stroke, you will need a thorough evaluation by a speech-language pathologist or another rehabilitation specialist. You may need special X-rays to see how you are swallowing.

As you recover from a stroke, your rehabilitation team will monitor your progress. Your team will help you get the nutrition you need. They will help you regain your ability to swallow more easily and safely. Swallowing and eating problems often improve over time, but some may last for the rest of your life.