Stroke affects in Poland from 60 thousand. up to 90 thousand people a year. Like other neurological diseases, it has a negative impact on the quality of life and may contribute to the development of malnutrition that is so unfavorable for the patient. Find out what nutritional problems can develop after a stroke.
Neurological diseases, including stroke, often irreversibly alter the quality of life of the person who has experienced them. As a result, activities considered easy, everyday and simple can become an extraordinary challenge. This is often the case with the possibility of self-consumption of food. After a stroke, eating and drinking can be hampered by a lack of appetite, reduced fitness, a feeling of constant fatigue, as well as communication difficulties, cognitive deficits or depression. However, the most common cause of the deterioration of the nutritional status of the body in this disease is the so-called neurogenic dysphagia. In the acute phase of stroke, it is found in about 50%, and in the chronic phase in about 25% of people.
What is neurogenic dysphagia?
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing food and / or fluids. As a result, the patient may have difficulty placing and holding the meal in the mouth, chewing it, and moving it through the throat and esophagus to the stomach.
This may be due to:
- paresis of the muscles involved in swallowing,
- abnormal sensation in the mouth or throat,
- disturbances in the coordination of the phases of swallowing and swallowing with breathing,
- abnormal muscle tone,
- disorders of the central control of swallowing,
- combination of all these elements.
Neurogenic dysphagia often manifests as leakage or retention of saliva or food from the mouth. In addition, frequent choking, choking, coughing after and during a meal, or gagging or the leakage of food through the nose should also be of concern.
Dysphagia and meals
Dysphagia can affect different product groups. Sometimes grinding food up is enough.
For other people, additional compaction of the fluids is mandatory so that they do not travel too quickly into the mouth. However, the degree of fragmentation of meals must always be selected individually. The most important thing is to avoid meals that combine two textures, e.g. liquid and solid. Examples include noodle soup or rice. Such meals are particularly difficult. Temperature is also important – food should not be too hot.
Is Dysphagia Dangerous?
Yes. If uncontrolled, it can lead to serious consequences such as aspiration pneumonia as a result of food getting into the respiratory tract. Moreover, in over 60% of patients after a stroke, malnutrition may appear as a result, which is associated with numerous health consequences that worsen the quality of life and hinder the recovery process. It is in malnourished patients that pressure ulcers and infections are more frequently observed. In addition, their hospitalization time is longer, the effectiveness of rehabilitation is reduced and the dependence on other people increases. Consequently, malnutrition contributes to the increase in morbidity and mortality. If a person after a stroke does not want to eat, is losing weight or their immunity declines, it is worth considering the use of oral nutritional supplements (eg. Resource 2.0, Resource Protein), which contain a complete set of nutrients in a small volume and may prove to be helpful in the prevention or fight against malnutrition.
Food for special medical purposes. Use under medical supervision. Resource 2.0, For the dietary management of malnutrition and / or risk of malnutrition. Resource Protein: For the dietary management of malnutrition and / or at risk of malnutrition which may be associated with an increased protein requirement.
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