SWALLOWING THERAPY

Serving the greater Philadelphia area.  Teletherapy visits are available for Pennsylvania and North Carolina residents. 

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Speech therapy for dysphagia, the medical term for "difficulty swallowing," is typically referred by your doctor if you experience frequent coughing or choking with eating or drinking, foods sticking in your throat, or inability to swallow.  Swallowing therapy with Resonate provides tailored exercises to strengthen swallowing muscles and maintain optimal range of motion to promote safe and efficient swallow.  Your clinician will also advise appropriate diet textures and/or compensatory techniques to ensure the safest swallow. 

 

It is often advised for a person who has been diagnosed with dysphagia to undergo a swallow study ordered by your doctor, such as a Video Barium Swallow (VBS), also called Modified Barium Swallow (MBS), or Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) with an SLP.  These provide a visual assessment of the swallow function and structures to help determine the course of therapy/treatment and document the status of your swallow, offering crucial information for your therapist to use when determining the most appropriate care.  Because Resonate does not perform these studies, it is highly recommended that you have a swallow study before starting therapy if you are receiving services for dysphagia.

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In some cases, primarily after radiation exposure to the head or neck or significant muscle tension dysphagia, Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) has been effective in improving swallow function.  For post-radiated patients, MFR has been shown to reduce current and future tissue fibrosis, improving mobility of chewing or swallowing and decreasing related discomfort.

 

**Important note: Outpatient swallowing teletherapy is offered as an alternative to in-person visits for individuals with transportation, mobility, or distance limitations.  Some insurance plans do not cover swallow therapy virtually, so be sure to check your benefits.  Initial evaluations are recommended to be in-person at our office.   We are happy to collaborate with your local medical providers as needed to ensure the best care.