Dysphagiais a condition characterized by difficulty with properly chewing and swallowing food or liquid.
The action of chewing and swallowing involves coordination between the brain, nerves, and muscles.
The tongue is a key participant in the mechanism of swallowing.
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It moves food around the mouth and helps to form an adequatefood bolus(chewed and lubricated food).
After the tongue aids in the process of swallowing, the rest of the muscles and nerves take over.
Strokesand other brain injuries can impair tongue movement, which invariably impairs the ability to swallow.
One study showed that eight weeks of special tongue exercises induced significant improvements in swallowing and quality of life.
The exercises described below are meant to serve as a standard way of strengthening tongue function.
For some survivors of brain injury and stroke, these exercises will be fairly easy to do.
For others, performing them may feel as challenging as running an Olympic marathon.
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