Mixed Spasmodic Dysphoria

There are several types of voice disorders that can affect your ability to speak. Since speech is integral to communicating, it can be difficult to have to deal with these disorders. Mixed spasmodic dysphoria is a condition where you have difficulty speaking because of sudden involuntarily muscle spasms of the larynx.

The exact cause is unknown and while there are some treatment options available, there is no cure at this time. If you have some speech problems you should consult your doctor for a diagnosis and possible treatment options.

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) can occur in three ways, adductor, abductor and mixed spasmodic dysphoria. The adductor form of SD is when the muscles of the vocal cords slam the cords together. The vocal cords can also stiffen which make it very difficult for the vocal cords to vibrate and form words the way they are supposed to. Words can become shortened and hard to form.

Speech will then sound hoarse or "choppy". When someone suffers from this condition their speech will sound strained. The unusual aspect of this condition is that it rarely, if ever, occurs when someone is laughing, singing, speaking in an unnaturally high pitch, or whispering.

The other version of SD, abductor, occurs when the muscle spasms cause the vocal cords to remain open. This open position lets a lot of air escape when you speak. Because of this, your voice will sound weak, wispy, breathy and like you are whispering.

And, like what occurs with adductor SD, you rarely see these symptoms occur when laughing, singing, whispering, etc.

And finally, mixed SD. This is when the muscle spasm affect both the muscles that open and close the vocal cords at different times. Again, this tends not to happen when someone is laughing, whispering, singing, etc.

SD can affect anyone at anytime though there does seem to be some evidence to indicate that women are affected slightly more than men. There is no known cause for this disorder, though it appears to a "mal function" in the area of the brain called the basal ganglia, this is the area of the brain that controls muscle movements in the body.

The treatment options can range from mild to fairly invasive and all the way up to surgical remedies. Here are a few of the more common treatments available.

In some more mild cases, voice therapy may be able to offer some relief.

Another common treatment is a small Botox injection at the site of the spasm, on the larynx. Botox will actually temporarily weaken the muscles which can help reduce spasms.

Mixed spasmodic dysphoria is a problem that can affect anyone at anytime and make it very difficult to communicate effectively. It can lead to feelings of inadequacy and social anxiety. But, the good news is that there are various methods of treatment that can help. Consult your doctor and see what your options are. You don't have to suffer needlessly, you may find some relief easier than you had thought possible.

Information On Vocal Cord Dysphoria

Doctors don't know what the causes for vocal cord dysphoria are, but the effects of the condition are visible in the changes to your voice. The condition causes your vocal cords to spam resulting in constrained sound, hindering your speech.

I am not a doctor, so don't use this article to try and diagnose yourself. Like any medical condition you should consult your doctor to find out if you do indeed have this problem and the specifics on it. This article is just here to help you educate yourself on the condition.

There are ways you can identify vocal cord dysphoria, if you notice yourself having these symptoms you should consult your doctor.

1: If you notice changes to your voice throughout the day, such as stammering or a breathless voice then you may want to consult your doctor. Make note of how often this occurs and what you were doing at the time. It may be something as simple as just being winded, but if it happens often this may be a sign you suffer from VCD. Make sure you remember the details about when it occured as these details may help your doctor diagnose you.

2: There are quite a few potential signs that you suffer from VCD and they can range from a mild case to a severe case. Some of the signs could be that when you talk you experienced unexplained breathiness, or feel like you're losing air and are suffocating.

3: Vocal cord dysphoria is caused by your vocal cords spasming, resulting in alterations to your speech. These alterations change determining on the type of spasm, your vocal cords can constrict and make your voice have an almost strangled sound to it. Or they can expand and give your voice a light breathiness. If you experience these symptoms for more then a week you should consult your doctor immediately.

4: If you're not exactly sure what is going on with your voice you may want to make an appointment and see a doctor. The doctor can examine your throat and vocal cords to determine what exactly is wrong with you, once diagnosed he can help you find a proper treatment and get on the road to recovery.

5: If your doctor verifies a diagnosis of VCD then you probably have a variety of treatments available to you. Some of the treatments you may be able to undergo is a botox injection to your vocal cords. That may sound weird but it helps control the spasms and allow you to better control your voice. This method isn't permanent and requires an injection every couple of months. If that doesn't suit you, or isn't sufficient, you could even try getting surgery done on your larynx to control the spasms. This surgery isn't as invasive or as dangerous as you may think.

There is a lot of debate about what may cause vocal cord dysphoria and although nobody is quite sure what that cause is, there are several treatment options for you to use. Just talk to your doctor and try to find the best one for you.