| Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of nerve trunk electrical stimulation therapy combined with ice stimulation and electrical stimulation in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia. Methods: Totally 80 patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly allocated into a combination group (n=40) and a conventional group (n=40). The conventional group received electrical stimulation and ice stimulation therapy for swallowing rehabilitation, while the combination group received additional nerve trunk electrical stimulation therapy. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Kubota Water Drinking Test, Standard Swallowing Function Assessment Scale (SSA), Swallow-ing-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL), and surface electromyography (sEMG) parameters including average amplitude of submental muscle group and swallowing duration. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed significant improvement in Kubota Water Drinking Test grades compared with baseline (P<0.05). The combination group demonstrated a significantly higher total effective rate (90%) than the conventional group (70%) (P<0.05). Both groups exhibited increased average sEMG amplitude compared to pretreatment levels (P<0.05), with the combination group showing superior improvement (P<0.05). Significant reductions in SSA scores and swallowing duration were observed in both groups (P<0.05), with the combination group achieving lower values than the conventional group (P<0.05). SWAL-QOL scores were improved significantly in both groups (P<0.05), with the combination group showing greater enhancement (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combined application of nerve trunk electrical stim-ulation therapy with ice stimulation and electrical stimulation demonstrates significant efficacy in improving swallow-ing function, enhancing swallowing efficiency and safety, and consequently elevating quality of life in stroke patients with post-stroke dysphagia. |
