People can experience swallow difficulty for many reasons including:
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Head and neck cancer (prophylactic, current, or delayed radiation effects)
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Disease like Parkinson's Disease and ALS
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Dementia
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Stroke
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Traumatic brain injury
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Muscle tension dysphagia
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Anatomical changes
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Natural aging
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Psychogenic disorder
Specialty certifications: McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program
Not all dysphagia therapy is equal and our providers are up-to-date in the practice of swallow rehabilitation to ensure you make gains. There are many considerations for swallow therapy, including finding referrals for imaging studies, collaborating with other professionals, obtaining a comprehensive history, analyzing and managing the exercise plan and strategies, as well as working with family to ensure carry-over and support. Eating is an important quality of life and social activity that we don't take for granted. Contact us today.
Back in November 2021 I began some intensive swallow therapy with you and Betty. Within a month and a half I had my stomach tube removed. Things were going very well, and I wrote up a review for your website. I thought I should provide another update.
Suffice to say things keep getting better! I still have some limitations on what I can eat - breads, for example, are difficult, and I don't eat things like crackers or cheese by itself. And some things just don't taste good, like pizza and fruit in general, so I avoid them. However, I'm eating rice, pasta and noodles, meatloaf, french fries, hash browns, chicken fried steak, po boy sandwiches (sometimes with some of the bread) crawfish etouffe, Mexican food, a variety of vegetables, trail mix...In other words, a wide variety of stuff. In addition, I am eating faster. I'm still the last person at the table done at every meal, but I can now finish a reasonably sized meal in under 30 minutes (everyone else is done in 15)... I can now eat normally enough that most casual observers would never notice anything different - so I can go to restaurants and enjoy myself...
I continue to be grateful for your help. I had given up, so it is safe to say you and Betty changed my life. I remember that frequently.
I hope all is well with you and your family.
M.S. (head and neck cancer survivor)