Comparison of the effectiveness of sensory stimulation and neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy approaches in post-stroke dysphagia

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and sensory stimulation in swallowing therapy for patients with post-stroke dysphagia, versus sensory stimulation alone, and to investigate the effectiveness of these approaches. The study included 20 participants diagnosed with post-stroke dysphagia. Participants were evaluated with Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) before and after therapy. Gugging Swallowing Screening Test (GUSS), Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI), Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) were used as materials. One group received sensory stimulation and NMES approaches together, and the other group received sensory stimulation only. SPSS 25 was used for analysis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to determine the normal distribution of the data, and the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test were used for analysis of the findings. When the findings of both groups before and after therapy were compared, a significant difference was seen in all scales, but no significant difference was found in the findings between the groups except for the EAT-10 scores. In conclusion, it can be stated that both the combined application of sensory stimulation and NMES, as well as the use of sensory stimulation alone, are effective interventions for dysphagia following a stroke.