Cervical Dysfunction with Disturbed Oesophageal Motility - Scintigraphic Assessment

SUMMARY There are indications that disturbed function of the motor system may cause visceral dysfunction. Symptoms can be indistinguishable from organic disease. The treatment of choice, therefore, appears to be by manipulative or other forms of therapy for motor dysfunction. The author’s material includes 43 patients with dysphagia affected also by lesions of the cervical region. There was a significant decrease in the mean transit time (MTT) in the group treated by aural acupuncture, as compared with 37 normal controls. In the group treated by manipulative techniques (mobilisation) and soft tissue techniques there was, too, a significant decrease of MTT, but only in those patients who improved clinically. In 11 patients in whom symptoms recurred, MTT was again improved after treamtent of spinal dysfunction. Dynamic scintigraphy can objectify oesophageal dysfunction in patients affected by disturbed cervical function and can be used to assess success.