Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation and Dysphagia Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) was introduced as a modality for dysphagia rehabilitation more than a decade ago. Theunderlying premise of this modality is improving the structural movements and enhancing neural activation based on stimulation-induced muscle contractions. However, divisive evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of this treatment modality. Thismanuscript reviews current evidence regarding the effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) on clinical andphysiological aspects of swallowing function. Furthermore, this narrative review delineates the knowledge gap in this area andrecommends future research roadmap. This review gives a comprehensive picture regarding current knowledge of TES topracticing speech and language pathologists and interested researchers. It highlights the need for more robust studies in thisarea. It also encourages researchers to focus more on the physiologic studies to understand the physiologic underpinning behindthis treatment modality.