At some point in time, many people will experience problems with their voice. When speaking, words may sound broken, whispery, strangled or hoarse, and a person may struggle just to sound normal. In most cases, these vocal problems eventually go away, but if they don’t, then this condition may be a neurological disorder known as spasmodic dysphonia.
Definition and Facts
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that can affect the entire body or a specific body part. The primary characteristic of dystonia is the involuntary spasm and contracting of muscles. Dystonia disorders are the third most common form of movement disorders behind Parkinson’s disease and essential tremors. There are several types of dystonias including:
• Cervical dystonia – involuntary twist or contortion of the neck
• Blepharospasm – uncontrolled spasm of the eyelids
• Writer’s cramp – involuntary contraction of hand muscles
• Oromandibular dystonia – involuntary muscle spasms of the face or mouth
Spasmodic dysphonia, or dysphonia, is another type of …show more content…
The basal ganglia regulates the nervous system and involuntary muscle movements, but if it gives off the wrong signals or doesn’t work properly, then it could tell the muscles to relax or contract at the wrong moments. Genetics may play a role, especially if a family member has any kind of dystonia condition. Surgery, stress, head trauma, viral infections or any other types of illnesses may play a role in the development of dysphonia, but scientist are currently unable to make a definitive link between these issues and the development of dysphonia. Dysphonia doesn’t affect emotional or non-verbal speech like laughing, crying, whispering, yelling, or humming, which contributes to the difficulty in diagnosing this
Definition and Facts
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that can affect the entire body or a specific body part. The primary characteristic of dystonia is the involuntary spasm and contracting of muscles. Dystonia disorders are the third most common form of movement disorders behind Parkinson’s disease and essential tremors. There are several types of dystonias including:
• Cervical dystonia – involuntary twist or contortion of the neck
• Blepharospasm – uncontrolled spasm of the eyelids
• Writer’s cramp – involuntary contraction of hand muscles
• Oromandibular dystonia – involuntary muscle spasms of the face or mouth
Spasmodic dysphonia, or dysphonia, is another type of …show more content…
The basal ganglia regulates the nervous system and involuntary muscle movements, but if it gives off the wrong signals or doesn’t work properly, then it could tell the muscles to relax or contract at the wrong moments. Genetics may play a role, especially if a family member has any kind of dystonia condition. Surgery, stress, head trauma, viral infections or any other types of illnesses may play a role in the development of dysphonia, but scientist are currently unable to make a definitive link between these issues and the development of dysphonia. Dysphonia doesn’t affect emotional or non-verbal speech like laughing, crying, whispering, yelling, or humming, which contributes to the difficulty in diagnosing this