A Systematic Review: Surface Electromyography Versus Electrical Stimulation in Post-Stroke Dysphagia Treatment

Dysphagia, otherwise known as difficulty with swallowing, can be mild or severe enough for patients to be put on an NPO diet. Dysphagia is prevalent after a stroke and is thought to affect 45-65% of post-stroke patients (Lee et. al, 2018). There are several traditional therapies that are used to treat dysphagia, such as effortful swallow and the Mendelsohn maneuver (Permsirivanich et. al, 2009). In traditional behavioral therapy techniques, a patient purposefully incorporates an action or behavior during a swallow in order to elicit a successful swallow. Electrical stimulation, otherwise known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation, uses an electric current to stimulate nerves and hopefully produce muscle contraction (Li et. al, 2018). Surface electromyography (sEMG) can also be used as a biofeedback technique to help teach patients swallowing techniques (Azola et. al, 2015). Electrical stimulation and sEMG can be used in conjunction with traditional swallowing therapies. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of electrical stimulation and sEMG in the treatment of dysphagia in post-stroke patients.