Assessment of Swallowing in Adults: Qualitative and Quantitative Measures

Swallowing is defined as the semiautomatic motor action of the muscles of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract that propels the food from the oral cavity into the stomach (Miller, 1986). This act involves four stages: oral preparatory, oral transport, pharyngeal and esophageal stages; and these four stages must work in an integrated manner for a safe swallow. Swallowing is also a complex phenomenon involving respiration, phonation and swallowing occurring at the same anatomic location, requiring coordination with each other, for a safe swallow and proper exchange of gases (Miller, 1999).