Managing MS Symptoms

Dysarthria, or difficulty speaking

(see also Gait [difficulty in walking] and Dysphagia [difficulty swallowing])

Dysarthria, or difficulty speaking, may result from a variety of neurological disturbances. Dysarthria can range from mild difficulty annunciating some words to sounding like speaking with marbles in one’s mouth. Speech can sound garbled, and unclear. Weakness, spasticity, and ataxia of the muscles of the lips, tongue, mandible, soft palate, vocal cords and diaphragm can all contribute to this problem. It may present as slow or garbled speech, difficulty with voice volume and projection, or difficulties chewing and even swallowing. Dysarthria may also present in episodic occurrences that recur up to several times a day for short periods of time. A speech and language pathologist may be able to assess and suggest interventions to improve communication ability.

Concern for safety in swallowing, known as dysphagia, should be considered when dysarthria is present. Many of the same structures responsible for speaking clearly are also responsible for swallowing safely and this can present an airway hazard. A speech and language pathologist may also be able to assess swallowing adequacy for safety. There is no medication targeted specifically for dysarthria. If the problem is related to spasticity of the speech mechanism, antispasticity medications may be helpful. If the problem is worse with fatigue, energy conservation measures and fatigue medications may help.

Key Healthcare Professionals:
Speech language pathologist

Symptom Management:
Evaluation and identification of the cause for the problem will determine appropriate compensatory strategies.

Other Resources:

An MS Society of Canada website that provides information on a variety of topics. Information is provided by a range of North American experts who respond to inquires from individuals affected by MS.

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