What to Know Before Your FEES Procedure
If you’ve recently been recommended to have an instrumental swallowing assessment, there’s probably a lot of things going through your mind. First of all – what is involved in a FEES procedure, and how is this going to help you improve your swallowing safety in the long run?
At Speak and Swallow, we’ve recently launched our new service offering in collaboration with trusted local Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeons because this procedure is so valuable. From accelerating diagnosis and measuring swallow rehabilitation results over time, a FEES procedure has a lot to offer – especially when it can be accessed in a timely manner after you first start noticing changes in your swallowing.
Keep on reading to find out what you should know before booking in and attending your FEES procedure.
What is a FEES?
To start us off, let’s take a look at what a FEES procedure is. FEES is an acronym that stands for Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing. It’s a term we use as medical and allied health professionals to describe an instrumental assessment of swallowing – this is a type of assessment that involves using an ‘instrument’. In this case, our instrument is called an nasendoscope.
A nasendoscope is a small, medical-grade tube that has a tiny camera on one end that connects to a monitor. In this minimally invasive procedure, the nasendoscopy is passed through the nose in order to get a clear view of the structures involved in swallowing.
At the beginning of the procedure, the nasendoscope is placed in one nostril and gently moved to the back of your throat to an area above the voice box (larynx). A Speech Pathologist with the appropriate training will then ask you to try a range of different foods and drinks to determine which is the safest and easiest to swallow, by watching as the foods and drinks pass through the structures associated with swallowing. These food items may be coloured with white, blue or green food dye to support visualization of the structures during the procedure.
During your FEES procedure your Speech Pathologist may also ask you to try swallowing using different compensatory strategies like tucking your chin to see if this helps food and fluids to ‘go down the right way’. This will help to minimise your risk of food and fluids going down the wrong way (into your airway), that can cause problems like aspiration pneumonia.
The procedure usually takes ~20 minutes to complete, and this is not a procedure that requires any special preparation – no need to worry about fasting.
Do Flexible Endoscopic Evaluations of Swallowing Hurt?
While the idea of inserting a tube into your nose may sound painful, we can assure you that while there is some mild discomfort at the beginning, this sensation soon goes away. Your eating and drinking will not be impacted by the presence of the nasendoscope.
Why Should I Have a FEES Procedure?
If you’ve been recommended for a Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), this may have been because you have a history of swallowing problems, or have noted recent changes including difficulty managing oral secretions, difficulty coordinating swallowing and breathing, fatigue during swallowing, or even a ‘lump in your throat’ sensation known as globus pharyngeus.
By having a FEES completed, your treating Speech Pathologist will be able to see what is happening when you are swallowing and investigate what is going on that is contributing to your symptoms. With the support of an experienced Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon, your Speech Pathologist will be able to provide you with valuable information and a treatment plan to help you address your swallowing concerns and ensure your safety and enjoyment of mealtimes
Where Can I Go For a FEES Procedure?
If you are interested in booking in your FEES procedure, that’s great news. The sooner that you can be seen, the sooner you will have answers about what is contributing to your swallowing and/or voice difficulties and what you can do to see improvements with targeted therapy.
Speak and Swallow Speech Therapy have a team of experienced Speech Pathologists who have completed additional training to be able to safely and effectively perform FEES from a private clinic in Burpengary East. If you are local to the area, or willing to travel, this is a good option for getting your swallowing difficulties addressed sooner. Click here to visit our dedicated website page to learn more about what this procedure involves and make an enquiry today. We’re happy to answer any questions that you have about the FEES procedure to help you on your way to getting the support you need.