Exercises for Dysphagia: How Tongue Stretching Can Help

How to do tongue stretching exercises

Doing simple, tongue stretching exercises can help to improve swallowing difficulty (also known as dysphagia).

How to do tongue stretching exercises

Objective

Stretches and improves the range of movement of tongue muscles.

Instructions

For each exercise, you may use gauze to hold your tongue and gently pull.

	Stick out your tongue as far as you can feel a stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this ____ times.
	Stretch your tongue to one side. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this ____ times.
	Then, stretch it to the other side. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this ____ times.
	Stretch your tongue upwards. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this ____ times.
	Stretch your tongue downwards. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this ____ times.