Last week I presented a community lecture on Swallowing problems associated with Parkinson’s disease. When presenting information to an audience of people with Parkinson’s (PWP), I try to provide up to date information gathered from the dysphagia research. I also try...
Like many of the insidious symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, sensori-motor changes in speech and swallowing are thought to be among the earliest symptoms, even pre-dating motor symptoms, and because they may initially present as subtle problems, such as drooling or...
Respiratory muscle weakness is associated with adverse outcomes for intensive care (ICU) patients, including difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation, increased mortality, and increased risk of ICU re-admissions.[i] Because of this, several researchers have...
True or False? The tongue is a bundle of muscles important for speech and swallowing. True or False? Tongue strength can be impacted by age, injury, and neurological diseases and disorders. True or False? The Tongueometer (tongue-om-eter, pronounced like...
Breathing and swallowing share a common pathway, making the timing and co-ordination extremely important. Breathing is inhibited before and during the swallow, and this cessation of breathing is accomplished by closure of the vocal folds, that also serve as the last...
Dysphagia and Aphasia are sound alike medical terms and the symptoms sometimes occur in the same patient, particularly following a stroke, but while the meanings are quite different, the impact on quality of life is equally devastating for some people. Dysphagia,...
