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muscle tension dysphonia
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Posted by: magicat ® 11/16/2004, 17:20:10

My local ENT doc diagnosed me as having spastic dysphonia, and had me go to a the Vanderbilt Voice Center in Nashville Tn. The voice center doc says that I have muscle tension dysphonia. My voice tremor and strained sounding voice is much better since I have been taking Flexaril muscle relaxers. I have read that Muscle Tension Dysphonia can be early SD. My voice gets worse when I do not take the Flexaril. I was in an auto accident early this year with whiplash, herniated disc, and my rt. shoulder required surgery. I have Fibromyalgia, so I may be more likely to have increased muscle tension. I also got TMJ symptoms for the first time in my life soon after the voice problem began. The disc is gone from my TMJ, and my orthodontist says that it is because of muscle tension. TMJ has also improved with Flexaril. Has anyone out there had diagnosis of muscle tension dysphonia prior to SD diagnosis? I am just trying to find out what I should believe and what to expect. Thanks

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Re: muscle tension dysphonia Re: muscle tension dysphonia -- magicat Top of thread Archive Posted by: milkywaycs ® 11/16/2004, 22:43:34 I was at first diagonosed w/sd and then later w/musculo/skeletal tension disorder by two other drs. I have been to three ents and three speech therapists. They say I have control. But sometimes I couls blurt out a sentence and the rest of the day nothing comes out at all. Its all squeeky and empty. I am very confused, since i asked is muscle relaxers would help and they said "NO" just maybe botox helps sd sometimes so it could help me. I also asked about chiropracter they said "no". I have had tmj for 20 years. I have tried acupuncture massage and hypnosis all of which have not worked. I want to speak it has been its worst ever these last two months since i started a new speech therapist. It started after I had a bad fall on my stairwell and hurt my back an dthen I got sick in nOv03 anad then never got my voice really back after that. Though sometimes I can laugh and it can sound right or I can bee scared about something and quickly blurt out a sentence. So I know they can cleary work sometimes. I have been told it is under my control to speak rather than not speak and it is claerly NOT under my control. I most certainly would choose to speak!! I guess I'm not much help. My next step is botox, I was trying to avoid it. No one has offered muscle relaxers or steroids as an option though Ive heard people have had success w/those too! Let me know what happens. Milkywaycs@aol.com I have had no success after 1 year of drs but met someone in my community this week w/sd that has given me some hope! Carol | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: muscle tension dysphonia Re: Re: muscle tension dysphonia -- milkywaycs Top of thread Archive Posted by: Marilyn M. ® 01/29/2005, 20:38:34 I was disgnosed with AD SD in 1995, in 1996 discovered I was clenching and grinding my teeth. After I began treatment for my bite misalignment (poor occlusion: overbite, open bite, etc.) I no longer needed to go back to Houston for the BOTOX injections I had been taking for about 7 months. (A total of 4 unilateral injections.) Luckily, there was not a tremendous amount of damage done to my jaw joints at that point. I think there was some partial perferation on one of the pads. My dentist had speculated that my voice problems were related to my bite misalignment and it appears he was right. Bite splint treatment helped tremendously. I could not believe how much tension was released with the treatment. I had not been aware of how tense my neck and shoulder muscles had been. My dentist was trained in a unique method of splint treatment for TMJ at the Pankey Institute in Florida. Apparently all bite splints are not created equal. My splint was built just for me and adjusted carefully periodically. I had jaw realignment surgery in Dec. of 2000 to correct my overbite and my "long" upper jaw. I still wear a bite splint at night. Did I ever have SD? I'm really not sure. I still think I hear SD type characteristics in my voice sometimes. I think my voice on the answering machine sounds broken and unintelligible sometimes. Nobody tells me that, but I know what I hear when I listen to it myself. But that could be entirely due to poor vocal habits. I was able, however, to return to work as an elementary music teacher - very taxing on the voice. Last year I began treatment for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder.) Is there a connection? I am also taking medication for stress, anxiety and depression. Also related? Probably. But how I couldn't say. Human beings are complicated and I am really wary of anyone who says they have it all figured out. I also keep a dry throat due to medication I am taking. I think this is also related. I really think each person has to find their own unique answers to their own unique situation. And it does help to hear from others about their experiences. I hope my experiences can help someone else. -Marilyn Morrison Texas | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page