Common Causes And Complications Of Kyphosis

Difficulty Swallowing

Dysphagia or difficulty swallowing is a rare complication that can occur in kyphosis patients. Two mechanisms in kyphosis can cause dysphagia. When an individual consumes their food, it moves through the throat and into the muscular tube that food uses to travel from the throat to the stomach called the esophagus. In healthy individuals, the esophagus is flexible enough to allow for a slight curve without compromising its function. However, the entire digestive tract can become compressed in individuals with severe kyphosis. The esophagus in these patients exhibits a considerable bend that compromises its function. Dysphagia occurs because the bend makes the esophagus too narrow for food to pass through it normally. The other mechanism responsible for dysphagia in kyphosis patients is related to the muscles used when food is swallowed. Muscle weakness around the thoracic cavity occurs in kyphosis patients because the spinal curve alters the way the musculoskeletal system functions. Weakness in the muscles the esophagus depends on to move food from the throat to the stomach will result in difficulty swallowing.