Studies shows that occlusion of the tracheostomy tube with a gloved finger or a one-way speaking valve restores subglottic pressure, normalizes pharyngeal pressures and resensitises the glottic reflex, therefore normalizing laryngeal and swallow function.
However, other studies have shown that tracheal occlusion does not improve the safety of the swallow in all cases, suggesting that the beneficial effects of tracheal occlusion are variable.