Rehabilitation of oropharyngeal swallowing disorders.

Patients with oropharyngeal swallowing disorders can be rehabilitated through a program of radiographic assessment to define the patient's anatomic or physiologic swallowing disorder(s), followed by use of carefully selected compensatory and/or therapeutic strategies. Compensatory strategies are designed to eliminate symptoms of swallowing disorders, i.e., aspiration and inefficient swallow, and include postural changes, enhancement of sensory input, changes in food characteristics (viscosity, temperature, taste), modifications in volume and speed of food presentation, and intraoral prosthetics. Therapeutic strategies are designed to change swallow physiology and include range of motion exercises, sensory motor integration procedures and swallow maneuvers. The effects of many of these procedures can be assessed during the radiographic diagnostic procedure, once the patient's oropharyngeal anatomy and swallowing physiology have been defined. In general, swallowing assessment should be completed as soon as the patient is identified as dysphagic, and an appropriate rehabilitation plan initiated.