Patient education: Dysarthria (The Basics)

What is dysarthria? — Dysarthria is the medical term for when a person has trouble forming clear speech. It is different from "aphasia," which is when person has trouble finding the right words to say or to understand what is being said. People who have dysarthria but do not have aphasia can understand language, they just can't form words clearly. Sometimes, people have both dysarthria and aphasia.

People with dysarthria might:

●Slur their words or sound like 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

Problems that sometimes happen with dysarthria are:

●Drooling or trouble controlling their saliva

●Trouble chewing or swallowing

●Drooping of the face to 1 side

What causes dysarthria? — Dysarthria occurs when the muscles that produce clear speech do not work correctly. These can include muscles in the tongue, throat, or lips. This 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:

●Stroke

●Parkinson disease

●Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as "ALS" or Lou Gehrig's disease

●Multiple sclerosis (sometimes called "MS")

●Muscular dystrophy

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

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

It's also possible you will need 1 or more of these tests:

●MRI or CT scan – 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") or nerve conduction studies (also called "NCS") – These tests check how well nerves and muscles are working.

●Blood and urine tests

Will I regain my ability to speak? — 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. There are also technologies that use computers, phones, or other devices to help people speak.

If you develop dysarthria, you will probably need to work with a speech and language therapist. They can give you exercises to do to improve the way you speak. If you also have problems swallowing, the therapist can also help you learn about things that can improve your swallowing. For instance, they might recommend that you eat and drink only things that are thick and don't have a lot of chunks. That way you are less likely to choke or have foods go down the wrong way.

More on this topic

Patient education: Aphasia (The Basics)
Patient education: Dysphagia (The Basics)
Patient education: Recovery after stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: Stroke (The Basics)
Patient education: Parkinson disease (The Basics)
Patient education: Myasthenia gravis (The Basics)
Patient education: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (The Basics)