Basic concepts of surface electromyographic biofeedback in the treatment of dysphagia: A tutorial

Surface electromyographic (sEMG) biofeedback has been used to enhance behav ioral treatment interventions in a variety of movement disorders involving the head and neck musculature. These include, but are not limited to, voice disorders (Andrews, Warner, & Stewart, 1986), dysarthria (Gentil, Aucoutur ier, Delong, & Sambuis, 1994), hemifacial spasm (Rubow, Rosenbek, Collins, & Celesia, 1984), mandibular closure (Nemec & Cohen, 1984), and dysphagia ( Bryant, 1991; Crary, 1995). Despite the potential for widespread applicatio n of sEMG biofeedback-assisted treatments in motor disorders of the head an d neck musculature, speech-language pathologists generally are not aware of these techniques or of their potential application to speech, voice, or sw allowing disorders. The intent of this tutorial is to provide a general int roduction to surface electromyographic biofeedback techniques as they may a pply to the rehabilitation of dysphagia in adults. Specific examples are pr ovided based on clinical management of patients with dysphagia following br ainstem stroke.