ABSTRACT

Objective : This study aimed to compare the difference in the effects of treatment between motor and sensory stimulation intensities on the swallowing function of stroke patients with dysphagia. Methods : Eighteen cerebral infarction dysphagic patients were recruited based on VFSS. Electrical stimulation was applied to the neck muscles of the patients for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for four weeks. In addition, before the electrical stimulation treatment, an oral motor treatment was applied to both groups for 30 minutes. The patients’swallowing function and nutritional state were evaluated using FDS, a P-A scale, and ASHA NOMS using VFSS. Results : After 4 weeks of electrical stimulation, both groups showed significant improvement in their total scores for the pharyngeal phase in FDS (p<.05), ASHA NOMS (p<.05), and significantly reduced valleculae and pyriform sinus residue (p<.05). For the P-A scale, the motor stimulation group showed significant improvement in semi-solid type food (p<.05), but the sensory stimulation group showed significant improvement in all food types (p<.05). There was no difference in the swallowing function improvement for the two groups (p>.05). Conclusion : These results indicate that sensory electrical stimulation has a positive effect on the swallowing function, and is more effective in decreasing penetration and aspiration than motor electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation intensity can be modulated according to the patient’s characteristics in a clinical setting.