Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disorder where the brain’s nerve cells either break down or die. Speech issues and voice disorders are quite common in patients with this disorder. It has been reported that more than 7 million people with Parkinson’s disease develop speech disorders.
Patients with PD have trouble concentrating, thinking and remembering. They may even experience frequent hallucinations and delusions due to neurological changes in the brain.
Now let’s know from the best speech therapist in Kolkata how Parkinson’s disease causes speech issues.
Why do patients with Parkinson’s disease develop speech impairment?
Most patients with PD experience changes in the way they speak. They speak slowly and some even stammer while uttering words.
Parkinson’s disease also affects the memory and the ability of the patient to speak. Hence, patients with Parkinson’s disease find it difficult to communicate and interact with others.
Moreover, this disorder affects the nerves and the muscles that control speech. The best speech therapist stated that people with PD might experience the following:
- Frequent changes in the pitch
- Trouble pronouncing words and letters
- Have a hoarse voice
- Loss of facial expressions
- A tremor in the voice
If you are suffering from Parkinson’s disease, you will notice changes in your voice and produce unclear sounds as the first symptom of speech disorder. Hence whenever you experience difficulty in processing and expressing your thoughts, you must not delay in seeking treatment through speech therapy.
How can speech therapy help?
Speech language pathologists will examine your condition and help you manage your symptoms to prevent the worsening of the disorder. SLPs will see the severity of your speech impairment and recommend specific exercises to improve your verbal and nonverbal skills.
For instance, your speech-language pathologist might ask you to speak different sounds for word retrieval. Moreover, they will suggest you techniques that focus on pronouncing different words at different speeds using proper breathing techniques.
Patients with Parkinson’s disease also face issues with swallowing. SLPs will also work towards improving control over the muscles to help in swallowing.
These exercises taught by your speech therapist must also be practised at home to help patients overcome speech and swallowing difficulties.
Conclusion
Speech and voice disorders are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease. These problems affect your ability to speak and communicate with people. Hence you must undergo speech therapy to improve your ability to interact.
Patient review
“Very nice therapy centre. My son is doing speech therapy and special education here. He is progressing everyday. Happy to be here.”
- Suparna Chakrabarty