I'm an Aussie Blogger

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Excuse me. Did you say my voice sounds funny?

Well. Imagine if you were on my side of conversation! Spasmodic Dysphonia is also known as Spastic Dysphonia. This chronic speech disorder is a Laryngeal Dystonia, a neurological disease causing involuntary contractions of the vocal cord muscles.

Without treatment this condition leaves the sufferer trying to speak through tight vocal spasms resulting in strained, effortful speech with frequent breaks in sound. In coming weeks I will blog about difficulties experienced during the long path towards diagnosis and the heartfelt joys realized when acknowledgement and identification of a medical cause was found.

Diagnosis also leads to treatment. Botulinum Toxin, otherwise known as Botox, is injected into the vocal cord muscles resulting in significant relief for several months. After this treatment wears off it is necessary to receive further injections of Botox to resume relief of spasms.

Information about treatment and also information about Dystonia, in its many forms, is now readily available on the web. I am looking forward to sharing with readers the many sites that are informative and supportive for sufferers of Spasmodic Dysphonia and other forms of Dystonia.

Please, do leave your comments, questions, requests for specific information, or whatever you would like to share, on this blog site. Being able to identify and receive treatment for my disease has totally reversed my quality of life from frustration and despair to hope, purpose and joy. Also, I receive great inspiration, companionship and a sense of normalization, when speaking with others who have experienced the social isolation and stigma associated with the various forms of dystonia.

Sue Bayliss.

2 comments:

Megan Bayliss said...

Excellent article. I do hope that other sufferers and their family members also find some support in your new venture.

Sue Bayliss said...

Thank you, Megan. Positive, encouraging comment. Hoping to write three or four articles per week including information and experience about Spasmodic Torticollis. In my case I have spasmodic retrocollis, meaning my head is pulled back and slightly to the right. Botox is wearing off so voice and neck/shoulder muscles are spasming significantly, causing much discomfort. Mum. XX