Dysarthria
Dysarthria
Dysarthria (pronounced dis-ar-thre-uh) is a medical condition characterized by slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand. It is a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological injury, and is characterized by poor articulation of phonemes.
Etymology
The term "Dysarthria" comes from the Greek words "dys" meaning difficult or faulty, and "arthron" meaning joint. In this context, it refers to the difficulty in forming words due to a problem with the muscles that are used to speak.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of Dysarthria include:
- Slurred speech
- Slow speech
- Inability to speak louder than a whisper or speaking too loudly
- Rapid speech that is difficult to understand
- Nasal, raspy or strained voice
- Uneven or abnormal rhythm and pitch when speaking
- Difficulty moving your tongue or facial muscles
Causes
Dysarthria is caused by damage to the nerves that control the muscles used in speech. This can occur as a result of:
- Stroke
- Brain injury
- Tumors
- Conditions that cause gradual nerve damage, like Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Multiple sclerosis
- Conditions that are present at birth, like Cerebral palsy
- Certain medications that can cause drowsiness or dry mouth
Treatment
Treatment for Dysarthria usually involves speech therapy to improve pronunciation. In some cases, treating the underlying cause of Dysarthria can help improve speech. For example, if Dysarthria is caused by medication, changing or discontinuing the medication might reduce symptoms.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Dysarthria
- Wikipedia's article - Dysarthria
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