Dysphagia Exercises Patients Actually Enjoy!

I had a patient yesterday that was a very agitated uncooperative Med A patient. I was really wondering how I was going to get my time in with him. He started yelling at me every time I even asked him a question. But, I got out my PhagiaFlex device and he showed interest. Then, I demonstrated how to use it, and to my surprise and delight, he actually wanted to try it. He was able to hold it himself and kept going and going and going! When he got so tired he couldn't do it anymore, he stopped and rubbed the muscles under his chin, and studied the device, nodding in approval.

Then, he kept it in his hand, and after a short rest, he SPONTANEOUSLY started using it again! He kept going until he was exhausted again. Then, he gave it back to me and said "No more!". He reluctantly minimally cooperated with some cognitive tasks, and I was about to give up and cut the session short, and then he suddenly said, "Give me that plastic thing again!" He used it again until he was exhausted, thoroughly fatiguing the suprahyoid muscles. Even some of the most difficult patients love this device and use it until they are exhausted. It’s really pretty amazing.

The PhagiaFlex Device is used to do the CTAR and JOAR exercises for dysphagia and has been shown in clinical research to improve laryngeal elevation and UES (upper esophageal sphincter) opening. Many of my patients had esophageal dilation surgery to stretch the esophagus to open wider, but the effects only lasted for about 6 months. So, when I saw them they were having problems gettting the food to go down again. After using the PhagiaFlex device for approximately 4 days per week, for 4 weeks, most of them improved esophageal opening so much that they were swallowing normally again.

The increased motivation and endurance with exercises really seems to improve progress and overall outcomes for my patients, and it makes my job so much more fun! Don't we SLPs deserve some cool tools? :) Yes we do!

Download a free 20 page eBook to learn more.

About the Author: Jolie Parker, M.S.CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist who specializes in the treatment of dysphagia. She is a co-inventor of the PhagiaFlex Device for dysphagia, which has been clinically shown to strengthen the swallow, improve esophageal opening and laryngeal elevation, and widen the UES during the swallow.