​Symptoms and Signs – Differential Diagnosis of Dysphagia

​Symptoms and Signs – Differential Diagnosis of Dysphagia 
• Toxins: poisoning, botulism, tetanus, post-diphtheritic dysphagia
• Systemic diseases: scleroderma, amyloidosis, dermatomyositis
• Presbyesophagus
• Peptic esophagitis with stricture, Barrett’s stricture
• Oropharyngeal lesions: pharyngitis, glossitis, stomatitis, neoplasms
• Neurologic or neuromuscular disturbances: bulbar paralysis, myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), parkinsonism, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), diabetic neuropathy
• Hysteria: globus hystericus
• Hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• External esophageal compression: neoplasms (thyroid neoplasm, lymphoma, mediastinal tumors), thyroid enlargement, aortic aneurysm, vertebral spurs, aberrant right subclavian artery (dysphagia lusoria)
• Esophageal obstruction: neoplasm, foreign body, achalasia, stricture, spasm, esophageal web, diverticulum, Schatzki’s ring
• Candida and herpes esophagitis