Aphagia

/əˈfeɪdʒə/ noun

Definition

A medical condition characterized by the inability or refusal to swallow; loss of the ability to eat.

Etymology

From Greek 'a-' (without) + 'phagein' (to eat). The term emerged in 19th-century medical language to describe neurological or psychological conditions affecting eating.

Kelly Says

Aphagia is heartbreaking because it doesn't mean you're not hungry—it means your body has lost the neurological ability to perform the automatic swallowing reflex that we never think about.

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