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Dysphagia Therapies Now Available at Park Vista
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Park Vista Retirement Community now offers two unique therapies to address the growing problem of dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing. The first, VitalStim Therapy, is a non-invasive, painless technique that treats dysphagia through muscle reeducation, according to Jill Alvetro, the only certified VitalStim therapist in the Mahoning Valley. This new, FDA-approved medical breakthrough incorporates specialized neuromuscular electrical stimulation and uniquely designed surface electrodes to stimulate inactive swallowing muscles, she said."Patients often see dramatic improvement in six to twenty sessions," Alvetro said. "There are people who have been trying unsuccessfully for 10 to 15 years to restore their swallowing function. VitaStim Therapy offers them a new alternative and hope."The therapy, she added, has a proven success rate of 71%. An estimated 15 million people in the United States alone have a current diagnosis of dysphagia, and more than a million new cases occur annually. Each year, nearly 60,000 people die from complications associated with swallowing disorders, Alvetro noted.In addition to VitalStim, Park Vista's Therapy Center also offers Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation, a technique which has demonstrated dramatic effects in restoring swallow function, and quickly improving the cough reflex and vocal quality. DPNS can be used alone or in conjunction with VitalStim, Alvetro said.For information about the therapies, call Alvetro at Park Vista's Therapy Department, (330) 746-2944."