Dysphagia With Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis/Forestier's Disease

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), also known as Forestier's disease, is a systemic bone-forming condition prevalent in older adults. Abnormal radiographic findings of the spine are essential to a DISH diagnosis. The disease is often not included in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia in primary-care practices. Disorders of the cervical spine rarely cause dysphagia but are in fact common manifestations of DISH. The purpose of this brief report is to: (1) provide an overview of DISH; (2) examine dysphagia in the context of DISH through presentation of a case report; and (3) broaden the recognition of DISH for diagnostic purposes.