Mendelsohn maneuver for stroke

The Mendelsohn maneuver is taught by having the patient place


their fingers lightly over the thyroid cartilage and then trying to

swallow. When the thyroid cartilage reaches the top part of its

elevation during the swallow the patient is supposed to try to keep it

in this position for a second or two. The crycopharyngeus upper

esophageal sphincter is stretched by this excursion and is mechanically

opened. There may also be some reflex inhibition of the sphincter, but

the benefit is probably mostly mechanical. Logeman's book on dysphagia

has a much better description.