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Swallowing Disorders
Learn to Swallow Again.
Swallowing is as necessary to life as breathing. Patients experiencing difficulties swallowing have a condition called dysphagia, which affects an estimated 15 million Americans.
Sierra is a Dysphagia Expert. Call now: 541.600.2028
Types of dysphagia are:
• Oral-preparatory: inattention to food or inability to feed ones self
• Oral: involving difficulty chewing and preparing food in the mouth
• Pharyngeal: involving difficulty with protecting the airway from aspiration
• Esophageal: difficulty with food passing through the esophagus.
Signs of a swallowing disorder may include:
• Coughing or choking when eating
• Food feeling stuck in the throat
• Messy eating
• Excessive throat clearing
• Gurgly/wet voice while eating
• Pain during the swallow
• Sudden weight loss
• Decreased intake, lack of motivation
• Inadequate chewing or holding food in the mouth
• Pneumonia or respiratory changes
Below is one of my Youtube videos on aphasia.
Below is one of my Youtube video's on dysphagia.
My swallowing muscles have been strengthened and I can feel the swallow more distinctly. And a few modifications to the process of swallowing have reduced my coughing significantly - and in just a few sessions. – Patricia Diehl
Clients with a range of diagnoses can have dysphagia, including, stroke, brain injury, dementia, other progressive diseases, and head/neck cancer.
EST offers exciting therapies for swallow problems called neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program (MDTP). NMES is used to re-educate the muscles to improve their function with electrical stimulation. MDTP is a systematic program that uses exercises science and eating as the exercise to strengthen the swallow muscles. Both of these therapies are potentially appropriate even if you are not currently eating.
We also utilize traditional swallow techniques, like home exercise programs, strategies, swallow postures, environmental modifications, and finding the safest food and drink textures as needed.
If you notice a loved one losing weight, coughing when eating, or any other symptom listed above, swallow therapy can help.
Visit www.youtube.com/eugenespeechtherapy for more videos.
