ENT Swallowing Clinic – VitalStim Therapy
Dysphagia is defined as difficulty with swallowing. It can occur as a result of a stroke or other neurological disease, normal aging or after a long period of inactivity. An estimated 15 million adults in the US currently suffer from dysphagia. People who don’t eat or drink enough are more likely to become ill or experience longer recovery times. In addition, patients with dysphagia carry a large psychological burden; many develop depression and withdraw from society because sharing of food and drink is such a big part of daily life.
The management of this condition consists mainly of diet modification to decrease choking episodes or a feeding tube may be inserted in the stomach.
In the last few years new treatment options have become available – one of these is the use of electrical stimulation. This exciting treatment tool, VitalStim® Therapy, is showing good outcomes in most patients with relatively few treatments. It is simple for certified clinicians to administer and is pain free for the patient.
VitalStim Therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering with difficulty swallowing or dysphagia. It was developed in response to the 15 million Americans living with dysphagia today. VitalStim Therapy is a non-invasive, external electrical stimulation therapy cleared to market by the FDA in December 2002. The therapy uses specifically designed electrodes applied to the muscles of the throat to promote proper swallowing. No other NMES therapy or electrode carries FDA clearance for the treatment of dysphagia.
VitalStim Therapy is delivered using uniquely designed external skin electrodes, placed on specific neck muscles in a pattern that has been fully validated. The electrical current emitted by the device has been carefully selected to elicit a contraction in the muscles responsible for a normal swallow response, therefore use of VitalStim Therapy leads to improved quality of the muscle contraction, and thereby to improved swallow function.
Once the patient’s dysphagia has been medically evaluated, the 45 to 60-minute sessions begin with the electrodes placed on the skin at specific points on the patient’s throat, and feeding practice and other exercises are performed. Therapy sessions are repeated a set number of times a week, until the patient’s swallowing patterns have been restored to the optimum level. Patients can frequently see improvement in six to 20 sessions – sometimes in as little as three days.
RehabMatters is proud to have three therapists certified in the use of VitalStim therapy. Patients are assessed by a multi-disciplinary team including a ENT surgeon, physiotherapist and speech therapist.
Dysphagia Symptoms
Dysphagia can occur as a result of many different conditions such as a stroke, other neuromuscular diseases like Parkinson’s or ALS, head and neck cancer, or de-conditioning as a result of age.
What To Look For
Look for one or more of the following signs and symptoms of dysphagia to know if you might be a candidate for dysphagia therapy:
- Difficulty swallowing or initiating a swallow
- Abnormal volitional cough
- Decreased voice quality (wet, hoarse, weak)
- Recurring chest infections
- Swallowing difficulty: multiple swallows or special maneuvers required to clear throat
- Difficulty completing a meal
- Feeling of food being stuck in the throat
- Soft diet or modified diet required (thickening, pureeing food; soft solids)
- Spilling food or liquid from lips and/or drooling
Please contact Ange Halland, Mandy McCulloch or Roxanne Sims for further information.
