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Online Webinar - MTDg: What’s muscle tension got to do with it? - 2021
3/1/2021 - 12/31/2021

Event Description
Course Description: 
Idiopathic dysphagia, could there be more to it?  Swallowing disorders can significantly impact a person’s oral intake and, or quality of life.  Over the years, researchers have identified numerous etiologies that can contribute to the symptoms of dysphagia. These symptoms often require multi-disciplinary assessments to ensure an accurate diagnosis and to establish an effective treatment plan.  Unfortunately, many patients complete the assessments only to demonstrate a “normal” swallow.  These patients are often being diagnosed with idiopathic dysphagia (a.k.a. functional dysphagia). Without a specific etiology, the direction for treatment uncertain. Patients that qualify for services may not progress as expected with traditional dysphagia treatment approaches.

In 2016, Kang and colleagues investigated the possibility of laryngeal muscle tension as an underlying etiology for a portion of patients diagnosed with idiopathic dysphagia.   Review the clinical signs and symptoms of laryngeal muscle tension to assess and diagnose Muscle Tension Dysphagia (MTDg).  With this diagnosis, clinicians can now determine the next steps to facilitate dysphagia recovery in patients with MTDg.


Learning Objectives:
Following this session, participants will be able to:
  1. Identify the signs and symptoms associated with muscle tension dysphagia (MTDg).
  2. Indicate evidenced-based assessment warranted to ensure accurate MTDg diagnosis.
  3. Define evidenced-based treatment plan for management of MTDg.
Presenter: Kiedra Hickert, M.S., CCC-SLP

Kiedra Hickert, M.S. CCC-SLP is a medical speech-language pathologist and clinical educator at Fort Hays State University (FHSU).  Before starting at FHSU, she worked primarily in acute care focusing on the areas of swallowing and swallowing disorders, cognitive-linguistics, aphasia and dysarthria.  Kiedra received her master’s degree at FHSU in 2007.

Disclosures: Kiedra receives salary as a clinical educator at Ft. Hays State University and is a member of KSHA, ASHA, and ASHA Sig 13. 

Course Outline:
  1. Introductions (5 min)
  2. Theoretical framework and symptomology for Muscle Tension Dysphagia (MTDg) (20 min)
  3. Review the relationship between Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) and MTDg. (20 min)
  4. Highlight interdisciplinary assessment recommendations for diagnosing MTDg. (15 min)
  5. Discuss evidenced based management for MTDg. (20 min)
  6. Present future research possibilities for MTDg. (10 min)
Runtime: 1.5 hours