Dysphagia - trouble with chewing and swallowing - afflicts hundreds of thousands of seniors in our nation's nursing homes. The Illinois nursing home attorneys here at Steven J. Malman & Associates can help if you or a family member has suffered injuries resulting from negligence, abuse, or other kinds of lapses of care at a facility.

What causes elderly choking problems?

Causes can be multi factorial and might include:

• Poor diet - eating a high sugar, high carbohydrate diet, in particular, can lead to dental problems, obesity, and vascular damage -- and potentially even problems with the muscle tone in the face, jaws, and throat.
• Medications - muscle relaxants, for instance, can make swallowing difficult. Side effects and interactions with other medications can lead to problems swallowing and chewing.
• Physical obstruction - a lodged piece of food or other obstruction can cause serious and immediate problems.
• Dementia -- certain patients with advanced dementia can literally forget to swallow and, as a result, inhale pieces of food or liquids.
• Neurodegenerative diseases -- Parkinson's, cerebral palsy and other conditions can also put patients at higher risk for choking and congestion.
• Illness or infection -- can also heighten risk.
• Lack of supervision from nurses or other care providers.

How can you unravel the root cause of the choking? And how can you determine whether the nursing home and/or responsible medical professionals acted effectively and appropriately before, during, and after the incident?

Whether the incident led to an untimely death or to severe injuries and medical complications, speak with an experience, sympathetic, and deeply knowledgeable Chicago nursing home attorney here at Steven J. Malman & Associates. Contact us any time, 24X7, to discuss questions, concerns, or goals. We boast a history of practical successes. In just 15 years, we've served over 6,000 clients in the Northern Illinois/Chicago area, and we've delivered satisfaction and results time and again. Please visit our site at www.malmanlaw.com to learn more about what drives us to do we do, or dial 1-800-625-6265 (MALMAN-LAW) to schedule an appointment right now and take advantage of our no fee guarantee.