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Device Helps Patients Rehab |
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Thursday, 28 May 2009 |
By KATIE YANTIS
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Those in the rehabilitation department at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital are furthering their services to speech therapy patients with a new device called the VitalStim.
The VitalStim therapy device helps give patients a more intense form of therapy to assist in the process of recovering from swallowing difficulties. It helps those with dysphagia, a difficulty with swallowing by using neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
“Typically with this type of device we should see an increase in the outcomes of treatment, this will help aid the speed of recovery,” Speech Language Pathologist Marcie Metzger said.
“It is a great resource for most individuals who have had a stroke or a neurological disease. It is a great benefit to us, I am excited it is finally here.”
The machine was used Wednesday morning with speech therapy patient Ray High. Along with the electrical stimulation, conventional swallowing exercises are also conducted. High had a stroke in March and has been in therapy since.
“It will help him specifically to get back to a normal diet, it is more intensive and delivers stimulation to help his motor system,” Metzger said. “It helps with electrical stimulation of the muscle itself and by doing exercises.”
Metzger explained the process to 85-year-old High, who is in his fourth week of speech therapy.
“It sends an electric current that goes to the muscles and reaches way down deep,” Metzger said.
“We have been trying conventional exercises that help where you are trying to control, but part of your swallowing is involuntary. This will directly make those muscles contract.”
She said it helps strengthen and re-educate the muscular system to improve motor control of the swallowing mechanism.
Metzger attached the machine to High’s neck, placing electrodes in a pattern that was most helpful to High. The process is nonevasive and sends an electrical current through the electrodes to contract the muscles.
“The best type of therapy for swallowing is to do that swallowing, but what we are doing is adding something to help,” Metzger said.
After his stroke, High has been on a restricted diet, which Metzger said she hopes will end with the new treatment.
“Ray has come a long way,” Metzger said. “The idea is over time with this intensive stimulation, we will be moving away from thickener to more solid foods. We want your quality of life to be better.”
Metzger said anyone with a neurological disease or a change in their swallowing pattern could benefit from the machine.
“It is open to people who have had an impairment with swallowing, whether they are at home, and had a stroke four or five years ago, they could be a candidate for some trial (sessions) with the VitalStim,” Metzger said.
The VitalStim was approved by the FDA in 2002, but a prescription is required and is usually administered by a speech language pathologist.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 15 June 2009 )
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