the pharyngeal phase of the swallow begins with closure of the nasopharynx.
the pharyngeal phase of the swallow begins with closure of the nasopharynx.
when does the pharyngeal phase of the swallow begin?
closure of the nasopharynx
section::::in humans.:phases.:pharyngeal phase.









































for the pharyngeal phase to work properly all other egress from the pharynx must be occluded—this includes the nasopharynx and the larynx. when the pharyngeal phase begins, other activities such as chewing, breathing, coughing and vomiting are concomitantly inhibited.









































5) closure of the nasopharynx
swallowing
one of the most common procedures for diagnosing oropharyngeal dysphagia is the modified barium swallow study (mbss), also known as the videofluoroscopic swallow study (vfss/fluoroscopy). this is a lateral and anterior-posterior (ap) view of a motion x-ray that provides objective information on the structure and physiology of the swallow. the oral, pharyngeal and esophageal phases of the swallow are analyzed. oral phase components that are evaluated are: lip closure, bolus control, initiation of lingual movement, mastication, bolus transport, and oral residue after the swallow. pharyngeal phase issues that are examined are: velopharyngeal closure, initiation of the pharyngeal swallow, laryngeal elevation, anterior hyoid movement, epiglottic inversion, laryngeal vestibule closure and reaction times, tongue base retraction, pharyngeal constriction or stripping wave, and pharyngeal residue after the swallow. the esophagus is analyzed for clearance versus retention of food, liquids and a barium pill. any retention is monitored to see if it returns to the upper esophagus or back to the pharynx and airway. the clinician tests a variety of foods, liquids, and potentially a barium tablet. it is important to test a variety of viscosities and volumes. typically the test involves a thin/regular liquid, a mildly thick/nectar thick liquid, a moderately thick/honey thick liquid, a pudding/puree, a cracker or cookie, a mixed consistency, and a barium pill taken with liquid or with a puree (depending on the person’s baseline method). the clinician determines if the swallow is safe (lack of aspiration) and efficient (lack of residue). the goal is to figure out why the person is having difficulty swallowing and to figure out what can be done to improve safety and efficiency. sometimes regular liquids can easily cause aspiration, and the clinician can test various maneuvers, postures, and safe swallow strategies to prevent aspiration depending on that person’s specific anatomy and physiology. one method to potential improve the safety of the liquid bolus is to alter the consistency of bolus (i.e., thickening the liquid to mildly thick/nectar thick liquid, moderately thick/honey thick liquid, or extremely thick/pudding thick liquid). if there is a lot of residue after the swallow, there are also techniques that will be tested to reduce this. see treatment section below for more on compensatory strategies versus rehabilitation techniques for the swallow.
dysphagia