Rebuilding a Safe Swallow: How Ampcare ESP Helps Adults with Dysphagia

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, affects millions of adults recovering from stroke, managing Parkinson’s disease, or living with neurodegenerative conditions. For many, this condition not only impacts mealtime—it affects safety, dignity, and quality of life. That’s where Ampcare’s Effective Swallowing Protocol (ESP™) comes in.

How Ampcare ESP Helps Adults with Dysphagia

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What is Ampcare’s ESP™ Therapy System?

The Ampcare’s Effective Swallowing Protocol (ESP™) is a therapeutic intervention FDA-cleared for the treatment of dysphagia. This system is a specialized form of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) administered through uniquely designed external skin electrodes. The Ampcare ES unit is a portable, non-invasive, dual-channel electrotherapy system which emits electrical current to stimulate nerves that correspond to inactive or atrophied swallowing muscles, which leads to an improved quality of muscle contraction of the hyolaryngeal complex and improved swallow function.

Stimulation with ESP’s submental placement and specially designed electrodes, facilitates the range of motion of the hyolaryngeal complex similar to that of the Mendelsohn Maneuver, while engaging a resistive effect to laryngeal vestibule closure. This resistance is created by a stretching effect or opening of the laryngeal vestibule. When the patient swallows during the stimulation on time, this movement creates the most effective effortful swallowing exercise you can offer to your patient. The facial placement can address oral deficits that include chewing, oral pocketing and anterior loss of bolus. This protocol only utilizes the safest swallowing strategies (indirect exercises) and offers a postural device to provide the ideal head and neck position to allow for the most efficient muscle contraction needed to promote a functional swallow. (E – Electrodes, S – Stimulator, P – Posture Device)

How Does ESP Work?

A combination of three major components makes this treatment protocol superior to competing electrical stimulation devices: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation + resistive swallowing exercises + postural strategies using the Restorative Posture Device (RPD). With this powerful trifecta, ESP achieves the following:

• Movement of the airway out of the food’s pathway

• Stimulation of fast-twitch, powerful muscle fibers to elicit motor contraction

• A 30-minute treatment time, providing 60, 72, or up to 90 swallowing attempts

• A safe, effortful swallow

• Decreased risk for aspiration

What Does the Research Say?

Multiple peer-reviewed studies have confirmed that ESP therapy can:

• ✅ Improve swallow safety and efficiency

• ✅ Increase swallow-related quality of life

• ✅ Strengthen the anterior neck and suprahyoid musculature

• ✅ Speed up laryngeal vestibule closure times, which is crucial for airway protection

For example:

• A 2019 study found that 75–85% of patients using ESP improved enough to upgrade their diet or even transition off feeding tubes.

• In one randomized controlled trial, ESP users had double the improvement in swallow function compared to those who only received traditional therapy.

• Importantly, over 12,000 treatment sessions have been completed with no reported adverse events, highlighting its safety across diagnoses.

What does ESP feel like?

Patients generally feel a slight tingling sensation at first, but the goal is to elicit a muscle contraction which generally feels like a pulling or tightening sensation.

Are ESP and VitalStim the same thing?

No. Although both are FDA-cleared for the treatment of dysphagia and provide electrical current through surface electrodes, ESP is fundamentally different than VitalStim. The principles of ESP follow the rules of electrotherapy for small muscle groups, and allow the capability of these parameters (frequency, phase duration and duty cycle) to be used safely on the neck.

Ampcare’s ESP is the only technology that can consistently move the hyolaryngeal complex in a forward and upward direction, similar to the Mendelsohn Maneuver, while creating a resistance to the laryngeal vestibule, and has evidence to speed up laryngeal vestibule closure (LVC).

How many treatment sessions of ESP are needed before swallowing improves?

In the current literature, many patients often see a level of improvement in approximately 10 to 20 treatment sessions. As your speech therapist, I’ll evaluate whether ESP is appropriate and guide you through safe, effective use.

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Helpful Products for Safe Mealtimes

While we strengthen the swallow with Ampcare, I also recommend supportive tools that make daily eating safer:

• Dysphagia Cup for Adults: Helps control flow and reduce risk of aspiration.

• Spill-Proof Scoop Plate & Bowl Set: Ideal for individuals with poor coordination or one-handed use.

• Spill-Proof Scoop Plate, 9" (2 Pack): Durable and designed for safe, independent eating.

Looking to add respiratory strengthening into your plan?

• The Breather Device: A favorite tool for training the muscles involved in breathing and airway protection.

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Learn More

Visit my YouTube channel to explore caregiver tips and dysphagia support videos.

If you’re ready to explore whether Ampcare ESP is right for your loved one, contact me here to schedule a free consultation.