MS ExplainedSpeech and swallowing
There are a number of different speech and swallowing problems that can affect people with MS.
Damage to the various parts of the brain that control thought, memory, verbal fluency or attention can lead to difficulty in finding words or forming sentences. This disorder is called dysphasia.
Speech requires the complicated interaction and coordination of several parts of the body including the lungs, diaphragm, vocal cords, lips, tongue and nasal cavity. Damage to the areas of the central nervous system that control any of these elements can have an effect on speech. Similarly, fatigue or weakness can affect any part of the process. When a speech disorder is due to damage affecting the muscles used in speech, it is called dysarthria. This can lead to slurred speech or difficulty in controlling volume, articulation or intonation.
Many of the muscles used in speech also have a role in swallowing and a lack of coordination can cause difficulties when a person is eating or drinking. This is known as dysphagia.
If the various processes involved in holding food in the mouth, chewing and swallowing are not synchronised, a number of different problems can occur. Food may get stuck in the throat, which causes choking; may move too slowly in the oesophagus (the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach), which causes coughing and spluttering; or may go into the windpipe (which should be closed during swallowing) or the lungs, which is known as aspiration.
- More information from the MS Trust
- Speech problems - A to Z of MS
- Swallowing problems - A to Z of MS
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