Does tongue-hold maneuver affect respiratory-Swallowing coordination? Evidence from healthy adults

Objective: Swallowing experts often implement techniques that alter the breath and swallowing mechanism. However, there is limited understanding regarding the effect of these techniques on the coordination of swallowing and respiration. Hence, the present study examined the respiratory-swallowing coordination in normal adults using tongue-hold maneuver. Materials and Methods: The study follows a cross-sectional study design, wherein 25 healthy individuals (8 males and 17 females) within the age range of 18-25 years performed 10 ml water swallow with and without tongue-hold maneuver. Nasal respiratory flow was recorded, and the duration of the swallow apnea and the phase of respiratory pattern were analyzed. Results: The results of paired t-test revealed a significant difference for the duration of swallow apnea with tongue-hold maneuver (mean = 0.782, standard deviation [SD] =0.329) when compared to swallow without tongue-hold maneuver (mean = 0.60972, SD = 0.188) at P < 0.05. Moreover, the phase of respiration bracketing the swallowing was predominantly expiration in both the swallows. Conclusion: The outcome of the study suggests that tongue-hold maneuver improves the duration of swallow apnea.