A better way to treat dysphagia

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Sunny Side Up is very excited to offer Ampcare's ESP™: Effective Swallowing Protocol.

ESP is a noninvasive, FDA-cleared treatment for dysphagia. It combines resistive exercises with the most effective electrical stimulation parameters for small muscle groups to improve swallow function.

83%

of stroke survivors reported improved quality of life following treatment with ESP
(Pownall et al, 2015)

5/5

patients with persistent dysphagia reported benifit from ESP
(Enderby et al, 2011)

74%

of people who recieved ESP achieved a diet upgrade vs 11% of those recieving traditional therapy only. 
(Polansky et al 2008)

So, what is Ampcare?

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Let's see Ampcare in action!

See that muscle movement; that's how you know it's working at the muscular level and not just the "feeling" level. And Lauren even felt good enough to laugh and cross her eyes for the camera. That's because the electrode and the parameters are designed to keep you comfortable while you work.
Oooo let's take a look at the muscles involved in her swallowing. The e-stim is delivered to the muscles underneath the chin, which makes those muscles contract. Then she swallows while those muscles are nice and tight. In other words, she has to swallow against resistance.

This is how we incorporate multiple principles of exercise science into a 30-minute exercise session.

Quality Matters

ESP is all about focusing on quality in order to achieve quantity. Backed by extensive research, this protocol uses the principles of exercise science to drive treatment. A certified clinician - like me  - uses a neuromusclar electrical stimulator (NMES) under the chin of on the cheeks to help with chewing and swallowing difficulities. This little machine provides controled stimulation for a short working time then the clinet gets a quick rest break. The stimulation is used to target motor neurons  in order to build the fast-twitch muscle fibers and creates strong muscle contractions. We also add in specific exercises to challenge the muscles and further improve swallow function. 
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So what does the research say?

83% of stroke survivors reported increased Quality of Life in Swallowing disorders (SWAL – QoL) after dysphagia intervention with Ampcare. This percentage increased to 100% improvement via SWAL-QoL 1-month post-treatment. This was compared to “usual” dysphagia care following a stroke, resulting in 38% improvement with treatment and 42% improvement 1 month later
Pownall et al, 2015

74% of people who received ESP in addition to traditional swallowing therapy were able to eat a larger variety of foods and liquids vs the 11% who enjoyed more food after receiving only traditional treatments. 
Polansky et al 2008
A study assessed outcomes for patients in the UK who had swallowing problems following a stroke. 86% of these people could safely increase the amount / variety of food they were eating. 10 of 11 patients who couldn’t safely tolerate eating or drinking anything mouth at the start of therapy, were able to at least try foods during therapy. 9 of 20 patients no longer needed a tube in their stomach for all of their nutrition. 
Martindale et al 2020Very small text.
ESP was found to be highly effective with a group of 5 gentlemen – including two men who sustained strokes, two men diagnosed with Head and neck cancer, and 1 man who was living with Parkinson's and osteomyelitis to the skull. All 5 of these patients received all their nutrition from a tube in their stomach and were not responding well to traditional treatments. Following the use of ESP, 2 out of 5 men were able to stop using PEG tubes within 1 month and a 3rd patient no longer needed a peg tube after 3 months of treatment
All 5 patients showed improved swallowing ability – that’s 100% of patients who were able to benefit from this treatment.

Enderby et al, 2011
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♦ Enderby et al, 2011: Phase I Case Study Series - Feasibility Trial
♦ Martindale et al 2020: ESSD Poster Presentation: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Plus Intensive Exercise Against Resistance (Ampcare ESP) in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Dysphagia: Further Evidence for Positive Outcomes.
♦ Polansky et al 2008: Pilot Trial: Treatment of patients with decreased hyolaryngeal excursion with Ampcare’s electrical stimulation parameters and traditional exercise versus traditional exercise.
♦ Pownall et al, 2015: Dysphagia Research Society International Poster Award Winner – (Chicago, IL): Combined electrical stimulation and exercise for swallow rehabilitation post-stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) (Accepted for Publication in the International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 2018)
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