Endoscopic video swallow studies and swallowing disorders
Swallowing disorders, causes and solutions is the issue for this post. What causes swallowing difficulty? According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, there are 50 pairs of muscles and nerves used to help you swallow. In other words, there are lots of things that can go wrong and lead to problems swallowing. Some conditions include: Acid reflux and GERD: Acid reflux symptoms are caused when stomach contents flow up from the stomach back into the esophagus, causing symptoms like heartburn, stomach pain, and burping. Learn more the causes, symptoms, and treatment of acid reflux and GERD.
Oral-motor treatments include stimulation to or actions of the lips, jaw, tongue, soft palate, pharynx, larynx, and respiratory muscles that are intended to influence the physiologic underpinnings of the oropharyngeal mechanism in order to improve its functions. Some of these interventions can also incorporate sensory stimulation. Oral-motor treatments range from passive to the more active (e.g., range-of-motion activities, resistance exercises, or chewing and swallowing exercises). Examples of exercises include the following: Laryngeal elevation —similar to the Mendelsohn maneuver (discussed in “Maneuvers” section above), the patient uses laryngeal elevation exercises to lift and maintain the larynx in an elevated position. The patient is asked to slide up a pitch scale and hold a high note for several seconds. This maintains the larynx in an elevated position. Masako or tongue hold —the patient holds the tongue forward between the teeth while swallowing; this is performed without food or liquid in the mouth, to prevent coughing or choking. Although sometimes referred to as the Masako “maneuver,” the Masako (tongue hold) is considered an exercise (not a maneuver), and its intent is to improve movement and strength of the posterior pharyngeal wall during the swallow. Find more info at Swallowing disorders.
The first step in treatment is to make the proper diagnosis. This involves a medical history and various tests to find the cause of the dysphagia. Often a team approach to treatment is needed. Several types of health care providers — physicians, registered dietitian, psychologist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist — work together to develop the best program. An important part of the treatment is helping the patient get adequate nutrition, while protecting against complications such as pneumonia from food or liquid getting into the lungs. Obviously, this requires a specialized diet. There are five different diet levels from pureed (level 1) up through modified regular food (level 5). The diets vary in texture and consistency, and are chosen depending on which would be most effective for a specific patient.
We offer Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), a gold-standard, evidence-based procedure that can be performed at the patient’s bedside with no barium consumption or radiation exposure. Using the flexible endoscope, we’re able to visualize the swallow in a patient’s natural eating environment to assess swallowing function. FEES is a cost-effective alternative to Modified Barium Swallow Studies (MBSS) at 1/4 of the price with no transportation or mileage costs to your facility. Discover additional info on www.dysphagiainmotion.com.
