SNORKEL

Myofunktional Exercise  Collect ion

Application:

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The exercise suits in case of swallow and breathing disorders (snoring, sleep-apnoe). With a distinctly noticeable sensory feedback a feeling for the processes around the Velum Palatinum is induced. (Anatomy: Area III, Page 24).

Contents:

A commonly not physiological muscle action allows for mediating the feeling of tensing and relaxing of the Velum Palatinum by a distinct sensory feedback .

Materials:

Not required.

Procedure:

- Previous exercises: A pre-exercise is not obligatory.

For a better mediation of the action desired a snoring may be imitated which will induce a quite similar sensory perception.

-Starting position: The moth is opened slightly.

- Step-by-step-description:

-1the patient gets the advice to do, at first , some breaths through his nose, afterwards through the mouth, deliberately under sensing the air stream with breathing in and out.

-2 Now the breathing will have to take place through “both openings”. Alternately one hand briefly shuts off one opening at a time and again unblocks it, constantly with feeling the air stream consciously.

-3 The Velum Palatinum, now, will go vibrating with inhaling, either as if imitating the snoring or as the “boar grunt”.

-4 The vibrations, now, are generated in exhaling as well, subsequently with both air stream directions.

- Timing:

-Timing: Snorkeling  in and out in a beat of about a second. To build up a sequence connumerating up to ten times is prescribed, thus, giving the sequence a frequency beat. One series may contain about three to five sequences.

Characteristics:

Gross motor, Kinaesthesia, Mobility, Organ Stereognosis, Feedback.

Remarks:

If the patient show a tendency of choking it is advisable to have the saliva swallowed previously before;  in those cases the exercise should be carried out  with short sequences and breaks while breathing without vibrations.

Discussion:

The exercise is designed to induce a conscious, easy tensening of the pharynx musculature  being carried out purposefully to be controlled by the patient via the feeling of snorkelling in a sensorial and acoustical manner.

The exercise aims at the high cranioverted throat musculature in contrary to the exercise GARGLE (see there).

As a consequential exercise the ,K-K-K’-EXERCISE is recommended as it is carried out rather in a more functional frame of  strain.

Similar exercises are summarized in the chapter REAR ORAL CAVITY.

Instructions:

The throat should get a feeling of where the air is streaming past.

This may be learned best by, at first, imitating some one snoring – or how a boar grunts.

But, first of all, to draw breath must be practiced! This can be done even without practicing?

Obviously, but not with sensitivity.

So: Mouth and nose are  open to in- and exhale.

Through both openings at the same time air is streaming – in and out, in and out. Feel how the air streams! Now one hand briefly closes the nose: the air, now, passes through the mouth. Then it closes the mouth: air now passes through the nose. This can also be done by turns.

The same action the hand does in font can be done back in the throat by the velum – it, however will have to learn it.

Therefore now when inhaling – “snorrrrkel” – let the velum flutter; and exhale without snoring. Several time sin a row.

And a s the second step - “snorrrrkel” – inhale and - “snorrrrkel” – exhale. Always slowly and rhythmically with sensing how the velum flutters.

As often as we have agreed upon.