If you were to question the average person about the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), most would mention tremors, twitching, slowness and stiffness in movement. Few would name speech and voice changes.
However, 75 to 90 percent of Parkinson’s patients are affected with speech and voice problems or difficulties (ncvs.org). These include: voice softening, flat or monotone speech, and increased difficulty in forming words.
What Causes These Changes in Voice and Speech?
PD is a condition that weakens the muscles throughout the body, causing stiffness and slow movement. When the muscles in the lips, tongue, throat, larynx or voice box, and lungs are affected by Parkinson’s, the resulting stiffness and slowness in these muscles, produces: softer speech, speech that is too fast or too slow or imprecise, hoarseness, and/or a voice that is monotonous.
Using Speech and Language Therapy to treat PD Voice Changes
Speech and language therapy is one of the best options for treating these Parkinson’s-related voice symptoms. Speech and language therapists are trained to assist with all areas of communication, including speech, language, technology usage, and non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions and body language.
The National Parkinson Foundation suggests the use of a speech language therapist for the following PD symptoms: slurred speech, weak voice, voice that is quieter than it used to be, abnormally fast or slow speech, difficulty with word choice or finding the right words, reduction in facial expressions and body language, and inability to speak clearly while performing other tasks.
What to consider when looking for a therapist
Finding the right therapist for yourself or your loved one is important as you or they will be spending a lot of time working with him or her one-on-one. Recommendations from friends and family members may be useful, but you also want to make sure that the therapist has experience in working with Parkinson’s patients and that their personality and work style meshes with yours or theirs. Your primary physician or nurse can help steer you in the right direction.
What to expect
For those patients who have recently been diagnosed with PD, the therapist’s focus will be on maintenance of the existing communication abilities. He or she will work with the patient to develop strategies and use exercises to help with the current voice issues as well as come up with adaptations to help overcome these issues such as the use of special tools or equipment.
If communication has reached the point to where it is extremely difficult for you or your loved one to talk, the therapist can train you and your family or caregiver in the usage of technology to help you communicate. This technology includes: computer applications and programs and voice amplifiers. These tools can aid you in choosing the right words, forming sentences, and in making your speech clearer and/or louder.
If Parkinson’s Disease is stealing or has stolen your voice or that of your loved one, allow a speech and language therapist to help you or them to find it again.
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