Parkinson’s Disease: What should you know about it?

How does Parkinsonism affect your speech and swallowing? Parkinsonism affects the areas of the brain involved with the execution and the fine-tuning of muscle action. Speech and swallowing are highly coordinated activities. Due to improper and uncoordinated tongue actions, food remains in the throat instead of getting pushed into the food pipe. This food may trickle to the windpipe, causing cough and aspiration pneumonia. Management included dietary modification and swallowing therapy.

Parkinsonian Speech

Similarly, parkinsonian speech lacks normal flow and has many breaks. The patients find it difficult to articulate words and sentences. Over and above the medication, early detection and speech therapy are necessary. Early intervention ensures the following: the patient’s nutrition, communication abilities, and Social life in terms of eating, talking, moving about, and participating in the community.

How Does Stroke Affect Your Vocal Cords And Swallowing?

Exact features depend on the site and type of stroke. However, stroke can cause paralysis of the vocal cords. This exposes the windpipe to food and secretions. Thus, the risk of pneumonia increases. Apart from this, the voice gets adversely affected. The vocal cords fail to meet midline, and the patient has a weak and breathy voice. As many cranial nerves get affected, the movement of various throat muscles also gets affected, causing difficulty swallowing. It is necessary to document these findings using flexible laryngoscopy and FEES scope. Depending on the findings, surgery might be required for paralysed vocal cords. In many cases, swallowing, speech and voice therapy also help.

What is Laryngomalacia?

Laryngomalacia is a disease of newborn children. It usually presents in the 2nd week of life. It means the structure of the larynx (voice box), above the actual vocal cords (the supraglottis), is weak. Thus, with every breath the patient takes in, these structures get sucked into the airway, causing obstruction. It typically causes a loud sound when the patient breathes. The sound is generally reduced when the infant is in a prone position.

What Is Adult Onset Laryngomalacia?

Occasionally, even adults who present with breathing difficulty have been seen to have laryngomalacia. This warrants a Flexible laryngoscopy for every patient with breathing difficulty. Though the literature on adult-onset laryngomalacia is limited, the prevalence is assumed to be more than currently seen. While the origin of this condition is still a matter of debate, all patients benefit from surgery.

(Dr. Darshil Vaishnav, Laryngologist, Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara, have verified this article)