Dysarthria

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is dysarthria? " пїЅ Dysarthria is the medical term for when a person has trouble controlling his or her mouth and throat in order to form clear speech. It can happen along with another disorder called aphasia, which impairs a persons ability to understand language. People who have only dysarthria can understand language; they just can't form words clearly. пїЅ пїЅ

People with dysarthria might: пїЅ пїЅ

Slur their speech and sound as though they are drunk
Speak very softly or in a whisper
Speak too quickly or too slowly, or mumble
Sound hoarse, nasal, or breathy when they talk
Drool or have trouble controlling their saliva
Have trouble chewing or swallowing
Find that their face droops to one side

What causes dysarthria? " пїЅ Dysarthria is usually caused by a disease or an injury that damages the brain or the body's nerves or muscles. For example, dysarthria can happen because of these conditions: пїЅ пїЅ

Stroke
Parkinson disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as "ALS " пїЅ or Lou Gehrig's disease
Multiple sclerosis (sometimes called "MS " пїЅ)

Some medicines, including medicines that make people sleepy, can also cause dysarthria. пїЅ пїЅ

Will I need tests? " пїЅ Maybe. If you develop a new problem with speaking, your doctor or nurse will want to do an exam and learn about your problem. He or she will want to know what medicines you take and what else was happening when your problem started. пїЅ пїЅ

It's also possible you will need one or more of these tests: пїЅ пїЅ

MRI or CT scan " пїЅ These are imaging tests that create pictures of the inside of the body. Doctors can use them to check for problems in the brain or in the nerves and muscles that control speech.
Electromyography (also called "EMG " пїЅ) or nerve conduction studies (also called "NCS " пїЅ) " пїЅ These tests check how well nerves and muscles are working.
Blood and urine tests

Will I regain my ability to speak? " пїЅ That depends on the cause of your dysarthria. If your dysarthria was caused by a stroke, you might be able to speak normally again one day. But if your dysarthria was caused by a nerve or muscle disorder that gets worse over time, it is less likely you will be able to speak normally again. Still, people with dysarthria can often learn new ways to communicate. For instance, they can learn to use alphabet boards to spell out the words they want to say. Plus, new technologies are being developed that use computers to help people speak. пїЅ пїЅ

If you develop dysarthria, you will probably need to work with a speech and language therapist. He or she can give you exercises to do to improve the way you speak. If you have problems swallowing, the therapist can also help you learn about things that can improve your swallowing. For instance, he or she might recommend that you eat and drink only things that are thick and have few chunks. That way you are less likely to choke or have foods go down the wrong way. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 83334 Version 3.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you.The use of UpToDate content is governed by the UpToDate Terms of Use. пїЅ пїЅ2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ

Dysarthria

The Basics

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

Copyright