Stroke and Swallow Strategies

In medicine, the term stroke describes a situation in which a person suffers from a hemorrhage in the brain, leading to a loss of consciousness followed by paralysis. The muscles of soft palate, throat and face tend to exhibit signs of deterioration and weakness following a stroke making formerly simple tasks such as speaking and swallowing difficult or even impossible. Proper treatment can help stroke victims who have developed swallowing disorders learn to eat with relative ease. Left untreated, swallowing disorders, or dysphagia, can lead to dehydration, malnutrition or life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia.

Signs

• If you know anyone who has recently suffered a stroke and displays any of the following symptoms, he may have developed dysphagia: drooling, inability to keep food in the mouth, difficulty moving food to the back of the mouth, food remaining in the mouth after swallowing and excessive coughing or throat clearing after meals. The muscles in the throat may be unable to move the food properly or the airway may not close off properly, allowing debris into the respiratory tract.

Treatment

• To help someone with a swallowing disorder overcome her difficulties, make sure she is sitting up straight during meal times. Good posture makes the most of natural gravity, pulling the food down the esophagus. Leave the affected individual sitting upright for at least 30 minutes after eating to ensure the best results. Also, make sure the food is easy to chew and swallow: cutting portions into smaller bites or serving soft foods such as mashed potatoes or cottage cheese. Help to recondition the damaged muscles by encouraging her to tuck her chin into her chest and then extend it upward as many times in a row as she can. Additionally, have her practice turning her head from side to side, twisting her neck as far as possible and then holding the position for approximately eight seconds on each side.

Warning

• Stroke victims who have developed swallowing disorders run an increased risk of aspiration. This is the term used when an individual unintentionally draws food or liquids into his lungs rather than his digestive tract. Aspiration can lead to pneumonia or respiratory distress. In unaffected people, accidental aspiration results in a violent cough that expels fluid or food from the lungs; however, stroke victims have decreased sensitivity and may aspirate without even realizing they have done so. To discourage the possibility of aspiration, do not use straws to intake liquids as this increases the likelihood of fluids pooling in the back of the throat. Also, remove any mealtime distractions such as the television or computer, allowing individuals to place their full focus on meals.