How would you go about strengthening throat/swallowing muscles for stronger swallow?

How would you go about strengthening throat/swallowing muscles for stronger swallow?

Wish this was possible. Maybe it is? Seems like every other muscle can be strengthened, even the heart muscle!

There are breathing exercises you can do. You have to see a speach therapist for that, they are trained in that. I currently see one in NY for that.

Hey Alex. What sort of exercises are done to help this? My doctor has never mentioned this and it seems to me this is much better than just shoving a script at me.

Could you let us know - you'd be a big help!
Thanks :wave:

I will try to describe it best I can, I hope it helps you. My breathing is very bad , when I breathe this way I feel good but my problem is severe so it's still not cured. Anyway, this is how it goes...

Inhale quickly with your lips pursed, like you are sipping out of a straw but short and quick (be sure to breathe in with your stomach not chest), quickly let the air out with a hard shhhhhhhhh letting out as long as you need then again quickly suck in lips pursed...just repeat this in 10 minute intervals. Build up to a few times a day, or if you are driving you can do this.
Make sure you are sitting with back straight legs uncrossed.
This type of breathing helps your vocal cords ( i have vocal cord dysfunction) it strengthens your vocal cords and retrains them, they are a muscle so they can be retrained with time.

ANother breathing method that is popular for this is Buteyko breathing ...you can search it online. I have never used it but I hear it's good as well.

I hope this can help someone

good luck

I will try to describe it best I can, I hope it helps you. My breathing is very bad , when I breathe this way I feel good but my problem is severe so it's still not cured. Anyway, this is how it goes...

Inhale quickly with your lips pursed, like you are sipping out of a straw but short and quick (be sure to breathe in with your stomach not chest), quickly let the air out with a hard shhhhhhhhh letting out as long as you need then again quickly suck in lips pursed...just repeat this in 10 minute intervals. Build up to a few times a day, or if you are driving you can do this.
Make sure you are sitting with back straight legs uncrossed.
This type of breathing helps your vocal cords ( i have vocal cord dysfunction) it strengthens your vocal cords and retrains them, they are a muscle so they can be retrained with time.

ANother breathing method that is popular for this is Buteyko breathing ...you can search it online. I have never used it but I hear it's good as well.

I hope this can help someone

good luck

Hi, thanks for the help!

But, so that I understand...is it like a "shhhhh" that you do to someone talking in a movie theatre?

And it wouldn't be okay to do this with a straw, like in a cup of water or something? Thanks again.

Hi there
Yes, the shhhhh is like quieting someone, but make sure you are not doing it too lightly you want to be able to hear the shhhhhhh sound.
No the pursing can't be done through a straw, you want to purse them and suck quickly so you hear a quick "whoo"and quickly let out th shhhhhhhhh as long as you need.
I will try to find my paper that describes it better...or something on line. But either way this description should work. At first it seems a little uncomfortable, but then you get into a rythem.

Feel free to ask memore questions if you still don't get it...I want to help if i can.
Alex

Hi there
Yes, the shhhhh is like quieting someone, but make sure you are not doing it too lightly you want to be able to hear the shhhhhhh sound.
No the pursing can't be done through a straw, you want to purse them and suck quickly so you hear a quick "whoo"and quickly let out th shhhhhhhhh as long as you need.
I will try to find my paper that describes it better...or something on line. But either way this description should work. At first it seems a little uncomfortable, but then you get into a rythem.

Feel free to ask memore questions if you still don't get it...I want to help if i can.
Alex

Hi!

Thanks again. by pursing, you dont mean like a "whistle" formation with your lips? I think I do get what you're talking about. So, you're sucking air through the mouth, not the nose? And my lips kinda wiggle a lot when I "shhh" is that okay? (Slight brain injury after birth has caused a little lack in control around the mouth area for me.)

Yes exactly how you described like pursing to whistle but suck in instead.
It's ok if its not perfect.... it's just to get into a rythem and build up. Like sit ups, you start out with a few , at first it's uncomfortable but after a while you are doing 100 no problem.

Alex,

What is vocal cord dysfunction? I have a difficult time swallowing, and have to have an esophogal stretch frequently. I get a shaky voice and short of breath when I speak loudly for a great length of time. Will the breathing exercises help this?

Trish