More and more individuals have difficulties swallowing medicine when it’s presented to them in the form of tablets or capsules. Dysphagia or swallowing difficulties can affect individuals of all ages including young children although it is most frequent in older people because they tend to be more susceptible to the causative illnesses as well as age associated changes in the functions of the saliva glands. Up to 1/3 of residents in care homes have problems with Dysphagia which makes taking care of their health and well being a much more challenging job.

The problems Dysphagia brings about can be serious as it interferes with medicine management as well as medication management when the patient has difficulties swallowing tablets . Furthermore there’s a risk that capsules ingested orally could potentially cause choking or a blockage of the airway and there is also a danger that pills could become lodged in the throat which might result in the incorrect dispersal of the medicine to the body as well as possible injury to the oesophagus.

The most prevalent and common method of coping with Dysphagia has been tablet crushing to ensure they are more palatable and less difficult to swallow. However there are a number of problems related to crushing tablets that can have severe implications and can affect the efficacy of the medicine. Some capsules are sugar coated to make them taste better and while crushing them won’t alter the way the capsule works it will make them taste very unpleasant. Pills with an enteric coating should really never be crushed before they are used since the coating is designed to keep the pill together within the stomach to either; guard the stomach from the medicine, protect the medicine from the stomach or to release the medicine after it’s left the stomach.

Fortunately there is an alternative for those who suffer from Dysphagia and also the people that care for them. There is now a wider range than ever before of liquid medicines that may be used orally and have exactly the same effect as pills or capsules. Oral liquid medicine is produced to deal with a wide range of ailments and diseases such as those affecting the cardio-vascular system and endocrine system and more liquid medicines are being created all the time. Liquid medicines are effortless to swallow for those with Dysphagia and come in a number of enjoyable flavors.