ProvaMed Recognizes June is Dysphagia Awareness Month

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- June 2022 is Dysphagia Awareness Month, and Birmingham-based ProvaMed is seeking to make more people aware of what it means to live with a swallowing disorder, while offering relief with their Provale Cup.

ProvaMed Inc. (www.provamed.com), based in Birmingham, Ala., launched the Provale Cup more than 20 years ago with one mission in mind: to give those with dysphagia the chance to enjoy drinking thin liquids again by delivering only small sips, thus eliminating the need for distasteful thickeners. "Someone with dysphagia, quite simply, has trouble swallowing," says Virginia Stewart, Director of Marketing for ProvaMed. "Each year, approximately one in 25 adults in the U.S. will experience a swallowing problem, many of whom will seek treatment from physicians and speech pathologists."

Signs of dysphagia include difficulty chewing, controlling liquids, a sensation of residue or retention in the mouth or throat, and aspiration ? or going down the wrong way. "Some people also have trouble coordinating breathing and swallowing, while others may have fatigue from eating and drinking," says Stewart. 

In the past, one approach to living with dysphagia included the addition of thickening agents to drinks, so the patient would be less likely to breathe in the liquid and choke. Thickening can create a number of problems, however. Coffee lovers don't like the different texture, and soda drinkers complain that the thickeners remove the bubbly effect. Sometimes the dissatisfaction with thickened liquids results in a patient drinking less, which can cause dehydration. The Provale Cup helps avoid the use of thickened liquids by regulating the volume being swallowed at one time.

Dysphagia is typically not a diagnosis as much as it is a condition secondary to another primary condition. Dysphagia doesn't develop without being caused by a different health condition, including stroke, cancer, Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions, dementia and sometimes trauma. If you or someone you know has difficulty swallowing, they should see a physician, who will likely order a swallowing test to help pinpoint the cause. In many cases, speech pathologists who are swallowing specialists will follow up with treatment.

Contact: Virginia Stewart, Director of Marketing
C 205.515.7819

SOURCE ProvaMed