Systematic desensitization of oral hypersensitivity in a patient with a closed head injury.

A 36-year-old man who had sustained a closed head injury displayed extreme fear of being stimulated in the oral cavity, of being presented with foods, and of swallowing. The patient's fear increased his muscle tone and hypersensitivity in the facial and oral area, thereby preventing assessment of his dysphagia. We describe the use of systematic desensitization to alleviate the patient's fear thus allowing successful completion of a videofluoroscopic barium swallow examination.