SWALLOWING DISORDERS

Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) affects an estimated 15 million Americans. The condition causes discomfort or difficulty swallowing and is most common among stroke survivors, patients with neurological disorders like Parkinson's Disease, and patients with head and neck cancer. Obviously, complications associated with swallowing dysfunctions can be devastating. Unfortunately, success with treatments that have been available has been very limited - and until now, coming up with effective treatments has been neglected.

Get Help with Swallowing Disorders Now at
1-800-300-1063

Traditional treatments of dysphagia include speech therapy, oral exercises, swallowing maneuvers, thermal stimulation and even a feeding tube. But new treatments are evolving, some of which have great potential to positively impact the life of the victim of dysphagia and speed up recovery! One such therapy is VitalStim Therapy ý . This therapy is the first proven treatment for dysphagia. It is the only dysphagia therapy backed by compelling clinical data, and cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. It is based upon clinical electrical stimulation, proven safe, extremely successful as well as better, and faster than any traditional therapy.

VitalStim Therapy uses small electrical currents to stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing. It is done only by highly trained specialists who are hands-on to help patients "re-educate" their muscles through rehabilitation therapy. A small, carefully calibrated current is delive4red to the neck/throat area by specially designed electrodes. The current stimulates motor nerves in the throat. The muscles responsible for swallowing contract. The quality of the swallowing function improves. With repeated therapy, muscles are "re-educated", in fact, in clinical studies, 98.4% of patients improved their swallow function score. In fact, 38.3% of patients with severe dysphagia regained full normal swallow function.

Get Help with Swallowing Disorders Now at
1-800-300-1063

At Dr. Steenblock's Clinic we use VitalStim Therapy for swallowing disorders. The patient is completely evaluated for the cause of their dysphagia, and the underlying causes are addressed. We offer a holistic approach to healing which can put the patient on the road to recovery and a much better quality of life.

For More Information on Swallowing Disorders:

Dysphagia Resources. Becky Dorner & Associates. www.beckydorner.com 1-800-342-0285

Frozen, pre-packaged line of pureed foods: InterNutra. www.internutra.com . 1-800-866-7757

Products for patients with dysphagia. Hormel Health Labs. www.hormelhealthlabs.com 1-800-866-7757.

VitalStim Therapy. To learn more about this therapy option, visit www.vitalstimtherapy.com or call 1-800-506-1130. For urgent requests, contact HealthSouth by calling 888-734-2248.

VitalStim Therapy is manufactured by Chattanooga Group, 4717 Adams Road, P.O. Box 489, Hixson, TN a division of Encore Medical Corporation (NASDAQ: ENMC). A leader in rehabilitation equipment, Chattanooga Group has been providing quality health-care products worldwide for over 50 years.

Success Story: Ed, age 59. Diagnosis: stroke, received PEG tube. Facility: Armstrong County Hospital, Kittanning, PA. Treatment: VitalStim Therapy. Result: PEG tube removed, normal diet.

Success Story: Johnny, age 51. Diagnosis: stroke, received feeding tube. Facility: HealthSouth Chattanooga Rehabilitation Hospital, Chattanooga, TN. Treatment: VitalStim Therapy, 20 sessions. Result: Feeding tube removed, normal diet.

VitalStim is featured in Cerebral Palsy Magazine, June, 2005. www.cerbralpalsymagazine.com

VitalStim Facts: VitalStim began with a speech and language pathologist named Marcy Freed. A researcher in swallowing disorders she was frustrated with the ineffectiveness of existing therapies. She initiated electrical stimulation research by way of clinical studies in 1993. She realized that the average person swallows some 2,000 times per day, and if the swallowing muscles are not used, they begin to atrophy very quickly. Since her invention has become available in 2003, over 4,000 clinical professionals have been certified to use the therapy.