Effectiveness of VitalStim therapy in dysphagia treatment: a review article

Abstract

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation has been used as a therapeutic method for many years. VitalStim is the device specifically developed for the electrical stimulation of the head and neck muscles. In the Czech Republic, this is a relatively new therapeutic technique. However, it has been used abroad since 2001. Its use for therapy in patients with dysphagia has been widely discussed among experts. Although a number of studies have been performed, the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach has not been clearly established. The presented systematic review aims to analyse the results of selected foreign studies focused on this issue and to provide a comprehensive overview of the possible effective use of VitalStim therapy in clinical practice.

Keywords

• vitalstim
• neuromuscular electrical stimulation
• stroke
• cerebral palsy