Symptom guide · General Practice & Family Medicine
Difficulty Swallowing
What difficulty swallowing can point to, how urgent it is, and who assesses it in the UAE.
Also known as dysphagia
This needs a prompt medical assessment
Difficulty swallowing has many causes and most of them are not cancer — but it is on the list of features that doctors investigate quickly rather than watch. Getting it checked early is what makes the difference.
Go now if any of these apply
- A new lump, or a lump that is growing, hard, or fixed in place
- A symptom that has persisted for more than three weeks without improving
- Unexplained weight loss, drenching night sweats, or persistent fatigue
- Bleeding that is unexplained — in stool, urine, when coughing, or after the menopause
- A mole or skin lesion that is changing in size, shape, colour, or is bleeding
Book a doctor's appointment within the next few days and say how long the symptom has lasted. Ask specifically whether an urgent referral or a scan is warranted.
At a glance
Quick facts
- Also known as
- dysphagia
- Body region
- Throat
- Care area
- General Practice & Family Medicine
- Conditions linked
- 9
Possible causes
Conditions that can cause difficulty swallowing
Listed alphabetically. This list is not ranked by likelihood.
- Acid RefluxVery common among people with acid reflux. Long-term condition.
- AnaphylaxisCommon among people with anaphylaxis.
- Head and Neck CancerCommon among people with head and neck cancer.
- Hiatus HerniaCommon among people with hiatus hernia. Long-term condition.
- Oesophageal CancerVery common among people with oesophageal cancer.
- Stomach CancerCommon among people with stomach cancer.
- Strep ThroatCommon among people with strep throat.
- Throat CancerVery common among people with throat cancer.
- TonsillitisCommon among people with tonsillitis.
These figures describe how often each condition causes this symptom — not how likely it is that this symptom is caused by that condition. Most symptoms have a common, harmless explanation.
Treatment by cause
How the causes of difficulty swallowing are treated
Treatment follows the diagnosis, not the symptom. Each row is a linked condition and a treatment used for it.
Find care
General Clinics & Polyclinics in Abu Dhabi
Where difficulty swallowing is assessed depends on what is causing it. These are licensed general clinics & polyclinics listed in Abu Dhabi.
27 Ar Ruwwad St - Shakhbout City - MSH4 - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Accepts: Daman, Thiqa, Cigna, MetLife +20 more
Al Ruwais, Al Dhafrah
Accepts: Daman, Thiqa, AXA, Cigna +16 more
Al Bahyah - Al Bahyah Old - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Accepts: Daman, Thiqa, Cigna, Allianz Care +18 more
Abu Dhabi
Accepts: Daman, Thiqa, AXA, Cigna +27 more
Ordered by verification status and how complete each clinic's public record is, then alphabetically. This is a directory listing, not a ranking — Zavis does not rate or recommend providers.
A factual listing drawn from the DHA, DOH and MOHAP licence registers. It is not a referral, an endorsement, or advice that any of these providers is right for you.
Related symptoms
Other throat symptoms
Find care
Who assesses this in the UAE
These are the specialties that treat the conditions linked to this symptom. Every listed doctor holds a UAE licence.
Questions people ask
Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of acid reflux?
Yes. Difficulty swallowing: very common among people with acid reflux. It does not work the same way in reverse — for most people with this symptom the cause turns out to be something else, and more common — so it is not a diagnosis on its own.
Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of tonsillitis?
Yes. Difficulty swallowing: common among people with tonsillitis. It does not work the same way in reverse — for most people with this symptom the cause turns out to be something else, and more common — so it is not a diagnosis on its own.
Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of hiatus hernia?
Yes. Difficulty swallowing: common among people with hiatus hernia. It does not work the same way in reverse — for most people with this symptom the cause turns out to be something else, and more common — so it is not a diagnosis on its own.
Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of strep throat?
Yes. Difficulty swallowing: common among people with strep throat. It does not work the same way in reverse — for most people with this symptom the cause turns out to be something else, and more common — so it is not a diagnosis on its own.
Keep reading
More about difficulty swallowing
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of acid reflux?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of tonsillitis?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of hiatus hernia?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of strep throat?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of anaphylaxis?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of oesophageal cancer?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of throat cancer?
- Can difficulty swallowing be a sign of head and neck cancer?
Medical disclaimer. This page is general health information, not medical advice, and it cannot diagnose you. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider about your own symptoms and treatment. In an emergency in the UAE, call 998 for an ambulance.