Learn About Spasmodic Dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia is difficulty speaking due to spasms (dystonia) of the muscles that control the vocal cords.
Dysphonia - spasmodic; Speech disorder - spasmodic dysphonia
The exact cause of spasmodic dysphonia is unknown. Sometimes it is triggered by psychological stress. Most cases result from a problem in the brain and nervous system that can affect the voice. The vocal cord muscles spasm, or contract, which causes the vocal cords to get too close or too far apart while a person is using their voice, making it sound normal.
Spasmodic dysphonia often occurs between ages 30 and 50. Women are more likely to be affected than men.
Sometimes, the condition runs in the family.
The voice is usually hoarse or grating. It may waver and pause. The voice may sound strained or strangled, and it may seem as if the speaker has to use extra effort. This is known as adductor dysphonia.
Sometimes, the voice is whispery or breathy. This is known as abductor dysphonia.
The problem may go away when the person laughs, whispers, speaks in a high-pitched voice, sings, or shouts.
Some people may also have muscle tone problems in other parts of the body, such as writer's cramp.
There is no cure for spasmodic dysphonia. Treatment can only reduce the symptoms. Medicine that treats spasm of the vocal cord muscles may be tried. They appear to work in up to one half of people, at best. Some of these medicines have bothersome side effects.
Botulinum toxin (Botox) treatments may help. Botulinum toxin comes from a certain type of bacteria. Very small amounts of this toxin may be injected into the muscles around the vocal cords. This treatment will often help for 3 to 4 months.
Surgery to cut one of the nerves to the vocal cords has been used to treat spasmodic dysphonia, but it is not very effective. Other surgical treatments may improve symptoms in some people, but further evaluation is necessary.
Brain stimulation may be useful in some people.
Voice therapy and psychological counseling may help to reduce the symptoms in mild cases of spasmodic dysphonia.
University Of California San Francisco
Clark Rosen is an Otolaryngologist in San Francisco, California. Dr. Rosen is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasmodic Dysphonia. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Perichondritis, Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Endoscopy, and Laryngectomy.
Proliance Surgeons
Craig Villari, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist. He treats a broad spectrum of ear, nose, and throat conditions in both adults and children. He has a special interest in caring for voice, airway, and swallowing concerns and is a post-graduate member of the American Laryngologic Society. He takes great pride in making sure his patients understand their diagnoses and treatment options.Dr. Villari grew up in Buffalo, New York but spent other parts of his childhood in Saint Louis, Missouri and Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated summa cum laude from Emory University where he also completed medical training and otolaryngology residency. He completed an extra year of subspecialty training in laryngology at the University of California, San Francisco and then practiced for four years at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, serves as a peer-reviewer for top journals, and has been an invited national and international speaker for his field.He lives on the Eastside with his wife, their son, daughter, and basset hound, Pickles. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading, golf, and following professional sports. He's a Kraken fan and optimistic the NBA will make a return to the Emerald City. Dr. Villari is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasmodic Dysphonia. His top areas of expertise are Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Throat Cancer, and Laryngectomy.
Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai
Mark Courey is an Otolaryngologist in New York, New York. Dr. Courey is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Spasmodic Dysphonia. His top areas of expertise are Spasmodic Dysphonia, Laryngitis, Throat Cancer, Laryngectomy, and Endoscopy.
Spasmodic dysphonia is a lifelong (chronic) condition. Treatment can reduce your symptoms, but the effects are often temporary.
Complications can range from not being able to say a few words to not being able to talk at all.
Contact your health care provider if you notice changes in your voice that reoccur.
There is no known way to prevent spasmodic dysphonia.
Summary: Tapia syndrome is a rare and poorly understood pathology. It is defined by a concomitant attack of the recurrent (branch of X) and hypoglossal (XII) nerves of peripheral or central origin. It is characterized by the paralysis of a vocal cord and the ipsilateral half of tongue. This damage is most often unilateral but it can also be bilateral. It results in dysphonia and swallowing disorders. Tapia...
Summary: Contemporary treatments for hyperfunctional voice disorders such as muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) are effective but typically do not restore voice handicap or voice function to normal thresholds. Recent reports of vibration as a voice therapy modality have been published, but many questions remain about the efficacy of this tool. The current project addresses these problems through a blinded and ...
Published Date: June 13, 2024
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Blitzer A, Kirke DN. Neurologic disorders of the larynx. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 57.
DeVore EK, Carroll TL. Hoarseness and dysphonia. In: Scholes MA, Ramakrishnan VR, eds. ENT Secrets. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 73.
Flint PW. Throat disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 397.
US Department of Health & Human Services; National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) website. Spasmodic dysphonia. www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spasmodic-dysphonia. Updated June 18, 2020. Accessed June 28, 2024.