Pay attention to swallowing care to escort the recovery of critical illness

On the road to recovery for critically ill patients, swallowing care is a crucial but often overlooked link. Swallowing, an action we do inadvertently in our daily lives, can become an insurmountable obstacle for critically ill patients. Paying attention to swallowing care can escort their recovery.

Swallowing, seemingly simple, is actually a complex physiological process. It involves the coordinated operation of multiple parts such as the mouth, throat, and esophagus. When we eat, food is ground into small particles through chewing in the mouth and mixed with saliva to form a food bolus. Subsequently, under the regulation of a series of muscle contractions and nerves, the food bolus is smoothly transported from the mouth to the esophagus and finally into the stomach for digestion. However, for critically ill patients, this process may be problematic due to the influence of the disease.

Critically ill patients often face many challenges that may affect their swallowing function. For example, neurological diseases may cause weakness or incoordination of swallowing muscles; respiratory diseases may make patients prone to choking when swallowing; and long periods of bed rest may also lead to atrophy of swallowing-related muscles. In addition, some critically ill patients may need to use equipment such as ventilators, which will also have a certain impact on swallowing.

So, how to provide effective swallowing care? First of all, assessment is the key. Medical staff need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the swallowing function of critically ill patients, including the strength of oral muscles, the sensitivity of swallowing reflex, the speed of food passing through the throat, etc. Through assessment, we can understand the patient's swallowing problem and develop a personalized care plan.

For critically ill patients with dysphagia, adjusting diet is an important part. The texture and shape of food should be selected according to the patient's swallowing ability. Generally speaking, you can start with liquid food that is easy to swallow, such as rice soup, fruit juice, etc., and gradually transition to semi-liquid food and soft food. At the same time, avoid food that is too sticky or dry to avoid dysphagia.

Body position adjustment should not be ignored. When eating, the patient's head should be slightly raised to facilitate smooth swallowing of food. For some patients who cannot sit up independently, a semi-recumbent or lateral position can be adopted to reduce the risk of aspiration.

In addition, oral care is also very important. Keeping the oral cavity clean can reduce the risk of infection and also help improve the patient's appetite and swallowing ability. Medical staff should regularly perform oral cleaning for patients, including brushing teeth, gargling, etc.

Swallowing training is also an important part of swallowing care. For patients with weak swallowing function, some targeted training can be carried out, such as oral muscle training, swallowing reflex training, etc. These trainings can help patients restore the strength and coordination of swallowing muscles and improve swallowing ability.

Swallowing care is essential for the recovery of critically ill patients. Through scientific assessment, reasonable diet adjustment, correct body positioning, good oral care and effective swallowing training, critically ill patients can overcome swallowing difficulties and add a guarantee to their recovery. Let us attach importance to swallowing care, escort the recovery of critically ill patients, and let them return to a healthy life as soon as possible.

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About the author: Zhao Jiaojiao, female, head nurse, member of the Chinese Rural Health Association, and member of the Nursing Branch of the Shandong Stroke Society. Zhao Jiaojiao graduated from Taishan Medical College with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Since 2007, she has worked in the Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical College (later renamed the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University), successively in the emergency department, neurosurgery department, critical care medicine department, and emergency critical care medicine department II. She has been engaged in critical care nursing research for a long time.