Spasmodic Dysphonia Bulletin Board

AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning?
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Posted by: Keith ® 09/07/2005, 20:01:36

Has anyone else who has AB found that their voice is often normal and free of spasms, etc. when talking through a yawn or immediately after or between laughs? I'm sure this is not a new concept to all of you, but I've just been thinking about it and always come up with the same question: If SD is indeed the neurological disorder we think it to be, then why aren't the symptoms basically constant, i.e. why would the voice be 'normal' in these other situations? Sometimes my voice is much more manageable than at other times. There has to be a fairly substantial psychological component operating here as well, to the effect that additional spasms and increased tension can be induced by ones' feelings or nervousness. If I worry about not being able to say a word correctly, I probably won't get it. If I'm completely relaxed and just talking without thinking about how it sounds, chances are good that it'll also feel and sound nice and relaxed. When I have the most trouble speaking, I often feel very tense and tight around the neck. Is this more of an MTD symptom? Confusing....... Keith

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Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- Keith Top of thread Archive Posted by: Shirley ® 09/08/2005, 08:55:45 Hi Keith, I'm glad you brought that up. I have that happen as well. I've also had times where I can speak without a spasm or break in the voice and you wouldn't even know I have SD. That is what is so confusing about it. I have also wondered why it wouldn't be constant. How can it be so bad and then another time sound perfectly normal? I think so much is still not known about SD right now, it's sad. Shirley | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- Keith Top of thread Archive Posted by: kitten ® 09/08/2005, 10:14:10 My own research of articles on SD, and through the National Dysphonia web site said this is quite normal for SD. I am not sure why this happens but my own theory is that brain chemistry is somehow at play. The chemistry of the brain is so complex that even science is still discovering how it all works. I think that when we are relaxed (laughing) or in a good mood with no stress and the "feel good" endorphines are flowing, our voices just work better. It is easy to be depressed by our condition but if being happy and laughing gives us a better voice we should do a lot more laughing and joking! | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page use of alternate neural pathways for speaking Re: Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- kitten Top of thread Archive Posted by: keith ® 09/08/2005, 10:27:14 Hi: I think you're on the right track. I did some research in the BB archives and found an interesting post where the writer felt that different neural pathways are used when speaking in the situations I mentioned. The trick would be to learn HOW to utilize such alternate pathways in normal speech. The post I am referring to also gets into this idea a little bit. Keith | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: use of alternate neural pathways for speaking Re: use of alternate neural pathways for speaking -- keith Top of thread Archive Posted by: Bill Vanderlinde ® 09/08/2005, 10:50:03 Keith, That is pretty much my understanding. Focal dystonias tend to be associated with highly practiced tasks such as speaking, writing, or playing musical instruments. If you use the same muscles for a different task, the spasms often do not occur. I recently posted a link to a story about "Dilbert" author Scott Adams who has dystonia in his hand. He had to relearn how to draw a different way in order to avoid the spasms. Speech is of course a very complex and highly practiced task. If you can learn to speak differently, such as the yawn-sigh technique or by singing, you may be able to avoid the spasms. Bill Vanderlinde AB/SD | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: use of alternate neural pathways for speaking Re: Re: use of alternate neural pathways for speaking -- Bill Vanderlinde Top of thread Archive Posted by: keith ® 09/08/2005, 10:59:49 Bill: Perhaps this is why some people claim to have been helped by changing the ptich of their speaking voice. This is part of a well-known voice doctor's technique (whose name shall remain nameless even though I'm sure you know who I'm talking about). One time my ENT told me to, as an experiment, try to speak like bugs bunny. In doing so, I didn't have any spasms whatsoever. The point is that by 'tricking' the brain, so to speak, the SD symptoms are bypassed. This is why, when I asked her, she felt that the voice doctor's technique of altering the pitch, etc. CAN be a way around speaking with breaks and spasms. Keith | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- Keith Top of thread Archive Posted by: valerie Handelsman ® 09/09/2005, 11:03:18 The same thing happens to me. When I yawn and laugh my SD goes away. It seems that when yawning or laughing more air is forced in and out of the lungs, so maybe breathing patterns have something to do with this condition. The neuro pathway for speech seems like something that could be changed with proper therapy. Great discussion! | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- Keith Top of thread Archive Posted by: Dawn Smith ® 09/15/2005, 16:44:03 Yes, I have the same effect, it's smooth after yawning or laughing and this supports the feeling that I've always had that my voice problems are connected to airflow problems ie; the way I breathe. The more air that comes through, the better the voice. I went to speech therapy long ago when it first started and the therapist commented that it sounded to her like I was trying to talk while holding my breath. | Recommend | Alert Where am I? Original message Top of thread Current page Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? Re: Re: AB - voice normal when laughing or yawning? -- Dawn Smith Top of thread Archive Posted by: kim ® 09/15/2005, 22:01:57 it must have something to do with breathing. I love to laugh, and my voice is much better too. keep on laughing everyone. Kim Sego/Houston, TX AB SD | Recommend | Alert Where am I? 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