Dysphagia (pronounced dis - fay - ja) is the medical term that means swallowing difficulty. Someone with Dysphagia has a hard time swallowing foods and/or liquids without having them “go down the wrongpipe”. Dysphagia is not a disease; it is a condition that results because of a disease. Some of the common reasons why someone might develop Dysphagia include; having a stroke, mouth or throat cancer, nerve disorders (like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, ALS, etc.) ordementia / Alzheimer’s (forgetting how to swallow). Dysphagia could be short term or it might be a life-long problem.