Swallowing Problems (Dysphagia)
- Looking for online swallowing exercises? Visit www.Swallowcise.com today!!
- Medical Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are the Preferred Providers for Dysphagia Services.
- The overall knowledge and skills obtained by medical SLPs in their professional training provides an exemplary and essential foundation for successful evaluation and treatment of dysphagia in adults associated with medical problems such as stroke, head and neck cancer and cerebral palsy.
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Stroke
Stroke•Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)•Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease•Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis•Cerebral palsy (CP)
Cerebral palsy (CP)•Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease•Radiation therapy as a result of head and neck cancer
Radiation therapy as a result of head and neck cancer•Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis•Other degenerative and muscular conditions
Other degenerative and muscular conditionsCopyright 2010 Educational Consultants Group | Last updated: March 14, 2015
Did you know?
Did you know that the average person swallows approximately 582 times per day and 50 pairs of muscles and many nerves work together to move food from the mouth to the stomach?
Swallowing dysfunction can be a complication of many conditions, including:
Dysphagia occurs when there is a problem with any part of the swallowing process. Any condition that weakens or damages the muscles and nerves used for swallowing may cause dysphagia. Often people with diseases of the nervous system, have problems swallowing, as well as victims of stroke or a head injury. Also, cancer of the head, neck, or esophagus may cause swallowing problems.
As many as half of all Americans over 60 will experience dysphagia. People with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing and may also experience
pain while swallowing. Eating may become a challenge. The ECG Wellcare Dysphasia Treatment Program includes a number of specialized treatments. One of those is Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) Therapy, which uses small electrical currents to stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing. Biofeedback Therapy actively involves the patient in the therapy process, providing visual feedback that challenges and motivates the patient to improve laryngeal elevation. The computerized biofeedback therapy provides synergy, since the signal on the computer increases with increasing amount of laryngeal elevation or masseter contraction. The immediate nature of the feedback minimizes patient frustration and anxiety.
The supplementation of Dysphagia treatment with electrical stimulation combined with biofeedback therapy helps patients "re-educate" their muscles. Dysphagia treatment supplement with E-stim and biofeedback is a non-invasive, painless treatment, and is effective for all ages.
Therapy is provided using uniquely external skin electrodes. They place the electrodes on specific neck muscles in specific pattern. The electrical current emitted by the NMES device stimulates inactive or atrophied swallowing muscles as the therapist administers rehabilitation therapy to help re-educate the muscles. For example, patients practice eating and perform exercises under the direction of the therapist and re-educate their muscle with biofeedback.
Our Intensive Therapy Program offers sessions daily (or almost every day) until the patient’s swallowing patterns are restored to the optimum level. Patients frequently see dramatic improvement in 9 daily sessions – sometimes in as little as 5 days.
Systematic treatment for swallowing problems is available at ECG Wellcare
Patients at ECG Wellcare see results.
Some patients see improvement in as little as six treatments, while others may require 20 or more.
Patients in the Dysphagia Treatment Program at ECG Wellcare have experienced significant results, including:
•Increased swallowing function
Increased swallowing function•Increased vocal intensity
Increased vocal intensity•Increased tone and movement of facial muscles
Increased tone and movement of facial muscles•Decreased choking episodes
Decreased choking episodes•In some cases, discontinuation of a feeding tube
In some cases, discontinuation of a feeding tubeHave questions? Need help? Call us today!
(800) 249-1879
Find out if Dysphagia Treatment supplemented with Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Biofeedback is right for you.
Give us a call today for a swallowing screening to find out if this specialized treatment can help you!
(813) 373-0016
