Exploratory study on the effect of orofacial myofunctional therapy on habitual tongue resting position in people with obstructive sleep apnea

Purpose  To analyze the effect of OMT on the habitual tongue resting position and the results in people with OSA.

Methods  This exploratory study comprising 18 individuals. The study considered eligible individuals of both sexes with a medical diagnosis of OSA (polysomnography) and orofacial myofunctional disorder. Exclusion criteria were those with a history of surgery for OSA or head/neck surgery, cancer in the region, previous oral motor speech-language therapy, psychiatric or neurological disorders that impair communication, oropharyngeal dysphagia, or neuromuscular diseases. They were submitted to speech-language-hearing assessment, sleep questionnaires (Pittsburgh and Epworth), anthropometric measurement, photo/film recordings, and tongue ultrasound examination. Individuals with an indication for OMT had 12 individual weekly sessions and were subsequently reassessed.

Results  Changes were observed in mean tongue distances of the tongue regions pre- and post-OMT. The anterior region (RA) increased from 3.21 mm to 3.38 mm; the middle region (MR) increased from 3.14 mm to 3.25, and the posterior region (RP) decreased from 2.65 to 2.57. The analysis of delta percentage differences between tongue regions pre- and post-OMT shows that the mean percentage ± SD of AR increased by 3.5±6.1, and that of PR decreased by -3.8±4.8. The deltas of AR and PR were significantly different.

Conclusion  OMT changes the distances between the base of the tongue and the contour surface of its three regions, increasing AR and decreasing PR, which generated subjective improvements in the sleep quality of patients with OSA, reflected in lower Pittsburgh and Epworth scores.

Keywords:
Speech; Language and Hearing Sciences; Myofunctional Therapy; Sleep Apnea; Obstructive; Tongue; Ultrasonography