What is swallowing therapy?

• The nerves in our brain control the muscles needed for swallowing. After a stroke or other brain injury, the connection between these nerves and the muscles can become interrupted. When this happens, different steps of swallowing can become impaired.

• This may cause food and liquid to go down your trachea, which leads to your lungs rather than your esophagus, which leads to your stomach.

• Signs that you may have an impaired swallow include:

  • Food/liquid spilling out of your mouth

  • Disorganized/insufficient chewing

  • Frequent coughing or clearing your throat

  • Liquid spilling to the back of your throat before you are ready to swallow

  • Feeling like food or liquid becomes “stuck” in your throat

  • A wet sounding voice when you talk after you swallow

  • Needing to swallow multiple times in order to swallow a single bite

  • Food staying on your tongue or in your cheeks after you swallow

• Swallowing therapy helps remedy these deficits so you can get back to safely consuming your favorite foods and drinks.

• We are certified in the evidence-based approaches of Ampcare Effective Swallowing Protocol (ESP) and McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program (MDTP).