Dysphagia Evaluation and Treatment

This book presents a comprehensive approach to treating dysphagia, which has been successfully applied in actual rehabilitation settings. Dysphagia is a major complaint following neurogenic diseases and in elderly patients, and often results in serious health complications including pneumonia, malnutrition, and increased mortality risk. This life threatening morbidity in ageing societies has sparked the rapid development of dysphagia rehabilitation in recent years, as a result of which it is now firmly established in the area of rehabilitation medicine. The purpose of this book is firstly to equip readers with a strong conceptual understanding of swallowing evaluation and treatment, secondly to provide guidance on the procedure of practical comprehensive dysphagia rehabilitation in real-world settings, and thirdly to update readers on the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies. To do so, it employs the concept of swallowing rehabilitation pioneered at Fujita Health University Rehabilitation, which has been the most prominent, fully equipped academic center for dysphagia patients for over twenty years. The book is divided into 4 major parts, the first of which introduces readers to the general aspects and the principle of deglutition. In turn, Part II offers clinical approaches to both non-instrumental and instrumental evaluation of swallowing. Part III addresses treatment options in swallowing rehabilitation, especially exercises based on motor learning. Lastly, Part IV highlights three clinical cases demonstrating clinical approaches in dysphagic patients. Readers will find this text useful both as an initial guide and a reference work for assisting clinicians, allowing them to further expand swallowing assessment and treatment, and facilitating the development of swallowing rehabilitation in real-world settings in education and rehabilitation.