Aim: To reduce the risk of drink and/or food entering the lungs by closing the airway before and during the swallow.

What you need to do:

• Take a breath and hold it tight.
• Bear down, as if you were picking up a heavy weight.
• Hold your breath and continue to bear down while you swallow.
• Breathe out and cough or clear your throat immediately.

Please let your speech and language therapist know if you have heart problems as this exercise may not be suitable for you.

Specific advice from your speech and language therapist:

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