Should I

[stjamesangel]

I am thinking of buying the Iqoro? does it work? Would other members recommend it?

[wobblybee]

🙂 Someone on a Facebook ataxia support group was involved in a trial and recommended it.

[stjamesangel in reply to wobblybee]

Thanks Wobblybee, I’m worried it might not help my speech. It’s very expensive to waste money on if it’s not going to help. Hope you’re okay.

stjamesangel

[february]

What is an Iqoro, as I never heard of it? My best to you..., ;o)

[stjamesangel in reply to february]

Hi February, the Iqoro helps with speech, swallowing and is supposed to make things normal. There are mixed reviews regarding this and I want to be sure about it before buying. I would love to be understood whenever I spoke. Best wishes to you and I hope you are well.

stjamesangel

[wobblybee in reply to february]

🙂 For the best explanation and diagrams, google IQora.com

Why IQoro® works [2]

IQoro® is a neuromuscular training device and regime that activates the body´s own pre-programmed systems – through a natural chain of nerves and muscles – from the mouth to the brain, to the stomach. This explains why IQoro® has an effect both on the brain plasticity (i.e. ability to regenerate and restructure) and on the internal and external muscles. Thus IQoro®, in a simple and effective way, addresses problems with our most basic and vital functions such as to breathe, eat, swallow, talk and smile. All these functions rely on the same muscles and nerves, but in slightly different ways, and thus IQoro® is used successfully to treat a wide range of conditions.

In this section we explain how exercising with IQoro® reaches and develops the brain’s own command system for our vital ability to breathe, eat, speak and smile.

IQoro® is proven over many years of research, and thousands of patient cases to train the brain’s capability to relearn and restructure (“brain plasticity”) to improve performance and control: and to exercise the muscles that the brain sends its commands to.

Being able to eat normally is fundamental to social well-being and for most people it is a function that they never think about. If you lose these functions for any reason you can now re-develop the muscles that are involved, and the unconscious brain signals and nerve circuits that control them. For different reasons our bodies may need to re-learn to breathe properly, to eat and swallow, to talk distinctly and to smile. These functions use the same muscles and nerve pathways, but in slightly different ways. IQoro® exercises them all in a simple and effective way; it addresses all these areas of reduced function, and also treats hiatus hernia and other reflux problems.

Treatment and training with IQoro®

The exercise consists of placing the device between your lips and front teeth and pressing your lips together tightly, then pulling the device straight forward as if trying to pull it out of your mouth. Hold this tension for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise twice more (a total of 3 repetitions).

This set of three repetitions is to be performed 3 times during the day, but not more frequently than 2 hours apart. Totally then, you will be training for 1.5 minutes per day.

See the film “IQoro® - This is how you exercise”

IQoro® stimulates the sensory nerves in the mouth, and by doing this reaches the brain’s control system for the swallowing process, which is closely linked to the control systems for other bodily functions [3], including breathing, the ability to form sounds (speech), facial expression, postural control [1], stomach and intestine functions, and more.

IQoro® effectively stimulates the swallowing process by:

The lips, via the cranial nerve (CN) Trigeminus, provide the trigger function for the brain’s central command for both breathing and swallowing. This is activated immediately when the IQoro® is placed in the mouth, and further during the exercises.

All the upward-transmitting sensory nerves “afferent nerve pathways” - CN Trigeminus, Facialis, Glossopharyngeus and Vagus - in the oral cavity, are stimulated simultaneously and ‘lightning fast’. These are activated by a combination of the following stimuli: contact of the IQoro® on the lips, that the lips are compressed together, that a low-pressure is created in the oral cavity during the forward movement in the exercise, whereupon the tongue moves backwards and contacts the anterior palatal arch and the soft palate.

The tongue’s backwards and upwards movements towards the soft palate ”velum” have a reinforcing effect on the direct stimulation up to the brain via the CN Glossopharyngeus and the Vagus. "CN Vagus controls all the internal organs except the sex organs"

The entire muscle chain - from the lips down to the diaphragm – is physically activated directly when you exercise by pulling on your IQoro® training device.

The flat handgrip gives a steadier and more even pull when training, and this helps to develop symmetrical muscle strength.

Symmetrical muscle strength is important for, amongst other things, the balance of the tongue bone’s “hyoid bone’s” upper and lower muscles, the “supra- and infra-hyoidala muscles”. The balance of these muscles is vital during the preparation to swallow, (the hyoid bone moves backwards and upwards), and to initiate swallowing (the hyoid bone moves forward and upwards). Coordination between these muscles is also crucial in the closing off of the airway “larynx” and thus eliminating the risk of food ‘going down the wrong way’.

IQoro® is designed with the optimal shape, size and rigid surface texture to develop maximum power to activate all the muscles from your lips down to your diaphragm when you exercise with it.

How this works neurologically and physically is described under the heading “The swallowing process – when it works as it should.”

[violasrbest]

Hi

I'm the same. I would love to be understood better, and have read up about the IQoro on their site, but it's a lot of money to waste if it doesn't work for Ataxia, but a bargain if it does work.