Spasmodic dysphonia
| Spasmodic dysphonia | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Laryngeal dystonia |
| Specialty | Neurology |
| Symptoms | Breaks in the voice making a person difficult to understand[1] |
| Complications | Depression, anxiety[2] |
| Usual onset | 30s to 50s[1] |
| Duration | Long term[1] |
| Types | Adductor, abductor, mixed[1] |
| Causes | Unknown[1] |
| Risk factors | Family history[1] |
| Diagnostic method | Examination by a team of healthcare providers[1] |
| Differential diagnosis | Stuttering, muscle tension dysphonia[2] |
| Treatment | Botulinum toxin into the affected muscles, voice therapy, counselling, amplification devices[1] |
| Frequency | 2 per 100,000[1] |
Spasmodic dysphonia, also known as laryngeal dystonia, is a disorder in which the muscles that generate a person's voice go into periods of spasm.[1][2] This results in breaks or interruptions in the voice, often every few sentences, which can make a person difficult to understand.[1] The person's voice may also sound strained or they may be nearly unable to speak.[2] Onset is often gradual and the condition is lifelong.[1]
The cause is unknown.[1] Risk factors may include family history.[1] Triggers may include an upper respiratory infection, injury to the larynx, overuse of the voice, and psychological stress.[1] The underlying mechanism is believed to typically involve the central nervous system, specifically the basal ganglia.[1] Diagnosis is typically made following examination by a team of healthcare providers.[1] It is a type of focal dystonia.[3]
While there is no cure, treatment may improve symptoms.[1] Most commonly this involves injecting botulinum toxin into the affected muscles of the larynx.[1] This generally results in improvement for a few months.[1] Other measures include voice therapy, counselling, and amplification devices.[1] If this is not effective, surgery may be considered; evidence to support surgery is limited,[1] but some have recovered following surgery.[4]
The disorder affects an estimated 2 per 100,000 people.[1] Women are more commonly affected.[1] Onset is typically between the ages of 30 and 50.[1] Severity is variable between people.[2] In some, work and social life are affected.[2] Life expectancy is normal.[5]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Spasmodic Dysphonia". NIDCD. 6 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Laryngeal Dystonia". NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ Murry T (November 2014). "Spasmodic dysphonia: let's look at that again". Journal of Voice. 28 (6): 694–9. doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2014.03.007. PMID 24972536.
- ^ "'Dilbert' creator recovers from rare disorder". NBC News. 27 October 2006.
- ^ Albert ML, Knoefel JE (1994). Clinical Neurology of Aging. Oxford University Press. p. 512. ISBN 978-0-19-507167-2.