Health Tip: Having Trouble Swallowing?

(HealthDay News) -- A person may be diagnosed with dysphagia when there's trouble swallowing.

Difficulty swallowing can be related to a tumor or a nerve system disorder, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery says. Symptoms may include drooling, a feeling that liquid or pills are sticking to the throat, sensing of a lump in the throat, losing weight, lung infection and coughing up blood.

It is crucial to seek treatment, the academy says, because if you cannot swallow properly, you are at risk for malnutrition, dehydration and pneumonia.