Clinical Effects of AST Giro Therapy in a Treatment of Dysphagia after Wallenberg Syndrome : A Case Report

Abstract

AST Chiro Therapy was applied to a patient with dysphagia due to Wallenberg syndrome caused by lateral medullary infarction in addition to conventional physiotherapy. The patient became able to eat rice gruel and minced food by himself in ten weeks. Videofluorography taken before and after the treatment showed an improvement of the swallowing function. AST Chiro Therapy could be performed even in the early stage of convalescence requiring bed rest, when the routine physiotherapy was not indicated. Spasticity of the muscle of the neck in the affected side was successfully relieved by this early application, which enhanced the recovery of the swallowing. These results indicate that the AST Chiro Therapy is useful for the treatment of dysphagia. AST Chiro Therapy might be applicable to the rehabilitation of swallowing impairment, in combination with conventional physiotherapy.