Severe Speech Impairment

[JayPwP]

I have severely impaired speech. Only I am able to understand my garbled speaking.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

[Bolt_Upright]

I'm sorry you are having this trouble. I found this: Tips for Improving Communication in People with Parkinson's Disease my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

[JayPwP in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Thanks Bolt

[Rafiki2]

Hi JayPwP

I was able to get a friend to help me make the PD Buzzboard gloves posted on YouTube for my wife who has been using them for just over 3 months. They have improved her walking but so far have not done very much to help with her PD dimentia. We hope they will help by using them longer.

However, I have a friend with PD whose voice was terrible and one could hardly understand a word he said. So I asked my IT friend if he could make an extra pair of gloves, which he did, and I gave them to my PWP friend.

He has been using them for just over a month and his voice has hugely improved. I phoned him just yesterday and could not believe the difference after just a few weeks.

Follow the instructions on YouTube on how to make these gloves or get someone that can do this for you as they really seem to work for improving certain symptoms, especially the voice.

Good luck

[pdpatient in reply to Rafiki2]

Could you please provide a link to the video?

[Rafiki2 in reply to pdpatient]

There are several videos on how to make these gloves. Search for BUZZBOARD on YouTube.

[JayPwP in reply to Rafiki2]

Thanks Rafiki. I have been searching for someone who can make me a set, unfortunately I am unable to find a person who can.

[Gallowglass]

could be vagal neuropathy. Try chewing gum 5 times a day and read up on vagus nerve exercises

[JayPwP in reply to Gallowglass]

Thanks Gallowglass. Will start chewing gum.

[Bunny622023]

It's a hard one Jay... Sorry it's such a major issue for you. Unfortunately as PD progresses nothing much seems to help for long with speech, DBS surgery or meds adjustments. Our Neuro, for my husband who has PD, has said the only thing she finds works for people for a time is speech therapy. Lea Silverman Speech Therapy or LSVT is something my husband was recommended for quiet, slurred, fast speech issues. The projection, the enunciation, the speed and the breathing can be affected either all at once, or just one of them. There are many exercises that can potentially help strengthen the vocal area, the lungs...... projection exercises etc. I'm no expert just letting you know what we have been told, and what we have tried. You have to put in the work to get results though and that is the hardest thing. Every day practice. The LSVT workshops have excellent results, especially face to face, but I'm not sure you can get in India? I think from your profile that is where you are yes. Lots of videos online though also that may help. Singing out loud, Reading out loud, slowly, precisely. ALWAYS remember to have water. It's amazing how after a sip of water, my husbands voice is normal for a short period. Keeping the throat and body hydrated is really important. Hope that helps a little with some thoughts. All the best.

[JayPwP in reply to Bunny622023]

Thanks Bunny. Will check.

[Intrepid200]

Good Morning Please check this out Parkinson'sVoice project YouTube Channel

It's free

[JayPwP in reply to Intrepid200]

Thanks Intrepid. Subscribed to the channel

[Bunny622023 in reply to Intrepid200]

Thanks - That looks great

[Marcia123]

Chewing gum really helps

[JayPwP in reply to Marcia123]

Thanks Marcia

[cgreg]

Hi Jay. My voice had increasingly become weaker as my PD had progressed. What seems to have helped was placing an electric massager on my sternum several times a day for a total daily session of at least 90 minutes. I use an electric vibrating ball and hold it with my right hand (the side affected by PD) while sometimes switching to my left hand. While holding the vibrating ball, I often place it on my sternum. As you may note, the protocol was inspired by both the Stanford gloves as well as the Charco Cue1 approaches. Aside from having improved my voice, the protocol seems to have improved my balance, stability, and strength. It has even forced me to lower my dosage of Rasigilene and C/L. I hope this could be of help to you.

[JayPwP in reply to cgreg]

Thanks cgreg. Ordered a massager.

[cgreg in reply to JayPwP]

Hi Jay. Have you tried the electric vibrating massager? If so, how was your experience?

[JayPwP in reply to cgreg]

No noticable benefit observed yet but I have not been consistent with the usage.

[Mellaji in reply to cgreg]

Cgreg , glad to hear about your improvements, can you share a link for the electric ball you use.

[cgreg in reply to Mellaji]

Hi Mellaji. I ordered it on an online shopping app that is popular here in Asia. I am sure that you can find it (or a suitable substitute) online. I hope you get good results from the protocol. Here is the link: shopee.ph/Fingers-Recovery-...

[Mellaji in reply to cgreg]

Cgreg, thank you very much! It looks like they have the vibrating gloves on that website as well. Have you tried those?

[cgreg in reply to Mellaji]

Hi Mellaji. Can you please post a link or a screenshot of the vibrating gloves?

[Mellaji in reply to cgreg]

shopee.ph/Salorie-Hand-Func...

[cgreg in reply to Mellaji]

Hi Mellaji. Those gloves do not vibrate but rather force the fingers to move via air pump. This is used as PT for stroke patients.

[Mellaji in reply to cgreg]

Ok, thanks, it lists Parkinsons as one of the conditions it helps.

[cgreg in reply to Mellaji]

Hi Mellaji. Have you tried the vibrating device ? If you have, what were the effects that you experienced?

[Mellaji in reply to cgreg]

Hi cgreg, no I did not purchase the device.

[MBAnderson]

Try an EMST to strengthen your diaphragm. I do 25 reps twice/day and believe it helps somewhat.

[pdpatient in reply to MBAnderson]

What is EMST?

[MBAnderson in reply to pdpatient]

amazon.com/s?k=emst+150+exp...

[pdpatient in reply to MBAnderson]

Thank you very much.

[JayPwP in reply to MBAnderson]

Thanks Marc. Will check.

[Swimfast]

There are some AI tools that can help for some situations. This could help you to share information, letters, advice, memories, etc. They don't, as yet, work in real time but you could use their text to speech model to possibly read out loud; writings that you have. It can learn your voice and improve its strength and clarity with an augmented voice developed from your speech examples. Check out descript -descript.com/overdub

[JayPwP in reply to Swimfast]

Thanks Swimfast

[Rather]

Speech therapy helps with all the muscles in the mouth, throat, neck, tongue, diaphragm, etc., that are weakened by PD. Do the exercises offered on-line if you don't have a speech therapist. Take a deep breath before you speak and say one word and pause, then continue slowly, open your mouth wide, stretch your lips, and loudly annunciate to be understood. it takes a lot of time and effort, but you'll improve.

[JayPwP in reply to Rather]

Thanks for your input Rather

[Bunny622023 in reply to Rather]

Right on the mark Rather. The breathing is a HUGE part of speech that many people don't realise, and that is compromised considerably in some. Anunciating absolutely. Effort is huge.

[Gigglers3]

My mouth is so dry I think it’s affecting my speech making it slurred