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Health Illustrated Encyclopedia - Disease & Conditions

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Central nervous system
Central nervous system


Spasmodic dysphonia

Definition:

Spasmodic dysphonia involves difficulty speaking because of repetitive or continuous spasms (dystonia) of the muscles that control the vocal cords.



Alternative Names: Dysphonia - spasmodic

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:



Symptoms:

The excessive activity of the vocal cord muscles drives the vocal cords either too close or too far apart.

This causes a hoarse or grating sounding voice, often with pauses (known as adductor dysphonia) or a whispery, breathy voice (abductor dysphonia), which is less common.



Signs and tests:



Treatment:

Some people will find that the problem goes away when they sing or shout. Botulinum toxin (Botox) treatments may help.



Support Groups:



Expectations (prognosis):



Complications:



Calling your health care provider:



Prevention:



References:

Goetz, CG, ed. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 13.




Review Date: 6/19/2008
Reviewed By: Sean O. Stitham, MD, private practice in Internal Medicine, Seattle, WA; Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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