Published on YouTube: Does Multiple Sclerosis Affect Speech?
Does Multiple Sclerosis Affect Speech? Does Multiple Sclerosis Affect Speech? Multiple sclerosis affects speech in up to 70% of people with the condition, with changes ranging from mild voice clarity issues to noticeable slurring and word-finding difficulties caused by demyelination that damages the protective coating around nerves controlling speaking muscles in the mouth, tongue, throat, and vocal cords. Two main types of speech disorders occur: dysarthria (the more common form) caused by weak or poorly controlled speaking muscles resulting in slurred, slower, quieter, or monotone speech that fluctuates during flare-ups and remission, and dysphasia affecting language and word-finding abilities including difficulty recalling words mid-sentence, constructing coherent sentences, and understanding others. Common symptoms include MS tongue (numbness, tingling, twitching, or weakness affecting tongue precision), dysphonia (weak, hoarse, or strained voice with volume control problems), swa...