Dysphagia – difficulty swallowing – can occur at any stage of the swallowing process, in which food and liquids move from the mouth, through the pharynx (throat), into the esophagus, and finally, into the stomach for digestion.

There are two main types of dysphagia. They include:

• Esophageal dysphagia. The most common type of dysphagia, involving difficulty moving food down the esophagus to the stomach. A patient often complains of the sensation of food sticking or becoming lodged in the base of the throat or chest.
  
  
• Pre-esophageal dysphagia (oropharyngeal or "tramsfer" dysphagia). Difficulty moving fluids and food from the mouth into the esophagus. Patients with preesophageal dysphagia often choke or cough when attempting to swallow. They may also experience the sensation of food or fluids going down their windpipe (trachea) or up their nose.