Beatriz Cavalcante de Medeiros
Speech Therapist - CRFa: 1-17023
Online and In-person Appointments
How is the treatment?
Dysphagia:
Dysphagia is the difficulty in swallowing food, liquids, or even saliva. This disorder can affect different stages of the swallowing process, from the mouth to the throat and esophagus. Dysphagia can be caused by various factors, such as neurological conditions (like Stroke - CVA, Parkinson's Disease), muscle disorders, surgical injuries, or anatomical alterations, as well as esophageal problems. People with dysphagia may have difficulty swallowing safely, which can lead to the risk of aspiration and, consequently, aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration. Early diagnosis and treatment, with speech therapy follow-up, are essential to ensure quality of life and food safety.
Voice:
The vocal folds, located in the larynx, are responsible for voice production. Alterations in these structures can cause difficulties in vocal emission, ranging from hoarseness to total voice loss. Some of the most common pathologies include: Vocal nodules, vocal polyps, sulcus, cyst. The voice is an essential instrument for singers and actors, and maintaining its vocal health is crucial for performance and career longevity. As a speech therapist, I offer personalized care to optimize vocal quality, prevent injuries, and treat problems that may arise due to excessive or incorrect voice use. With specialized follow-up, it is possible to improve vocal technique, correct breathing and posture patterns, treat dysphonias, and even help with vocal preparation for intense performances. Whether on stage, in the studio, or in recordings, good speech therapy work can ensure that your voice remains strong, healthy, and damage-free, allowing you to act and sing with more safety and quality. If you are a singer or actor, taking care of your voice is fundamental to your success. Let's work together to achieve the best possible vocal performance!
Facial Aesthetics:
Speech therapy goes beyond voice and speech care, also playing an important role in facial aesthetics. Speech therapy in this area involves working with facial muscles, contributing to the balance and improvement of facial expressions, symmetry, and harmony of the face. Through specific techniques, the speech therapist can work on strengthening and relaxing facial muscles, promoting an improvement in the appearance and functionality of the face. Additionally, speech therapy follow-up can be essential for patients who have undergone facial surgeries or aesthetic treatments, helping in the recovery and rehabilitation of the involved musculature. This speech therapy approach can also assist in treating TMJ (temporomandibular joint) dysfunctions and the consequences of habits such as improper use of facial muscles, promoting results that involve both well-being and aesthetics.
Other Treatments
Facial paralysis
Dysarthria
Oral breathing
Bariatric surgery
TMJ pain and dysfunctions
Procedures
Functional exercises: work the orofacial and cervical musculature in an integrated manner, helping to improve motor coordination, muscle tone, and body perception. These exercises are particularly indicated in the treatment of disorders such as dysarthria, dysphagia, and respiratory difficulties, promoting greater control and efficiency in communication and feeding processes.
Thermal Tactile Gustatory Stimulation (TTGS): is a technique used in the treatment of dysphagia to improve sensory perception and swallowing function. It consists of applying tactile, thermal, and gustatory stimuli in the oral cavity, such as rubbing a cold or hot applicator on the tongue and palate, or using strong flavors, such as acid or bitter. This stimulation aims to increase the sensitivity of the mouth and throat, helping to activate swallowing reflexes. TTGS is especially useful in cases of neurological dysphagia, helping to improve coordination and safety during swallowing, preventing aspiration and the sensation of choking.
Therapeutic taping: Therapeutic taping in speech therapy is used as a resource to assist in the treatment of conditions involving orofacial musculature. It can help improve posture, muscle tone, and mobility of the structures involved in speech, chewing, and swallowing. Taping contributes to relieving muscle tension, favors the activation of weak muscles, and provides greater body awareness, being especially useful in cases of dysarthria, dysphagia, or other disorders affecting facial and cervical musculature.
Lymphatic drainage: therapeutic technique that aims to stimulate the lymphatic system to improve fluid circulation in the body, especially in the face, neck, and airways. It is used to reduce edema, swelling, and facilitate the removal of toxins, contributing to the recovery of conditions such as respiratory tract inflammations, after facial surgeries or traumas, and is also beneficial in cases of respiratory or swallowing difficulties. This technique helps improve the mobility of oral structures and reduce muscle tension in the region.
Cervical and facial relaxation: reduce stiffness and stress in the neck muscles, which play an important role in supporting the head and moving the structures related to communication. Facial relaxation works to reduce tension in the facial muscles, which is essential for the correct articulation of words and the mobility of the mouth and jaw. These techniques help prevent pain, improve mobility, and promote more efficient and comfortable communication.
Thermotherapy: relieve physical exertion, improve blood circulation, reduce pain, and accelerate injury recovery.