Voice issues

[Tulip77]

Does anyone have issues with their voice? Prior to my MS diagnosis, an ENT diagnosed me with muscle tension dysphonia. My symptoms were, and still are, a chronic sore throat, hoarseness and just a constant feeling that my voice was strained. I also feel like I project my voice too much which causes the strained feeling. This in tern causes me to become short of breath. I can’t sing along with the radio without ending a lot of discomfort.

I’ve had this almost a year now and am wondering if it is connected. This was on my second page of stuff for the neuro, but we didn’t make it that far, as she had already determined that I had MS and gave me the news.

[jimeka]

I speak as though I need to clear my throat all the time. People ask if I am ok because I talk as though I have a cold. It has got progressively worse, I was told that it was my ms that is causing it. On the funny side of things, I could never sing so now I have an excuse why I sound so bad. 😊 🤗

[Tulip77 in reply to jimeka]

I am definitely not a “singer” by any definition, but it would be nice to be able to sing the songs at church without it hurting. I gently sing the first half of one, and then whisper the rest. If I sing through the pain, then I pay for it for the next few days.

[jimeka in reply to Tulip77]

You need to see an Ear, nose and throat specialist, I did just to make sure it wasn’t anything untoward 😊

[Tulip77 in reply to jimeka]

I have. She did the whole scope thing up my nose and down the back of my throat. Everything looked fine. That is when she diagnosed the muscle tension dysphonia.

[jimeka in reply to Tulip77]

Did she mention botox? 😊

[Tulip77 in reply to jimeka]

No. She just wanted to send me to voice therapy, which may be helpful, but financially, I have to prioritize and at that time, my legs and abdomen had just gone completely numb along with a host of other stuff. I was scared and started investigating those problems, which led me to my diagnosis.

[greaterexp]

I don't think it's all that uncommon in MS. My voice has gotten a bit weaker since my relapse. I rarely even try to sing at church anymore, but concentrate on the lyrics.

[pamgarner in reply to greaterexp]

my friends and family tell me I speak very quiet and weak,so I have to ask myself the million $ question,is it ms.or is it me being 65 that comes up alot at the dr's,it is usually 65!.i am starting to think my friends and family are getting older,is it THEIR hearing?

[greaterexp in reply to pamgarner]

Lots of good points there!

[Jer29-11]

This was one of my first symptoms when I had a relapse leading to a MS diagnosis. I lost my voice for a few weeks and could barely whisper. My voice did return back to normal and my numerologist did say it was ms related. I thought I was getting sick and had a dry scratchy throat for a few days, but it never got sore. Then my voice just went out. I hope it gets better for you!

[Ali_B62]

That sounds intriguing. It's something that I suppose it could be. I have had problems with a very weak, quiet voice, I find it very frustrating . I don't know if it could be MS related. It is very annoying when people can't hear what you are saying and are totally unable to turn up the volume.🥰

[goatgal]

Because I've never had a neuro who could/would take the time to explore the MS effects with me, I am forced to assume that there is some nerve damage that has affected my vocal cords (I can no longer sing), my swallowing mechanism (I can choke on a glass of water or become unable to swallow), It's episodic, not always present. I don't need it fixed, or cured, or want a med for it...but goldurnit, it would be nice if a doctor would treat these symptoms with respect and not make me feel as if it's all in my head. It's real, I don't imagine it, but if someone with more knowledge than I of the nervous systems would tell me that it is probably caused by damage here or there, I would be content.

[Brindisi1 in reply to goatgal]

They simply dont know when some issues not the primary ones. They seem to forget we livein our bodies and are cognizant of issues.

I guess we have to forgive them as they are only human like us. took me along time to get there.

I agree just anaccurate diagnosis so it makes sense.

Blessings

[goatgal in reply to Brindisi1]

I'm not angry, just disappointed. They are human, and as prone as the rest of us to not knowing everything. I would have more respect for those able to say, I believe you, but I don't know the absolute answer. Do you want to pursue this?.

[pamgarner in reply to goatgal]

you know dr's,if it isn't written in a book,it doesn't exist!

[Peruzzot]

I have problems with my voice as well. My throat isn't sore or hoarse but it feels like an invisible person is choking me. Sometimes it's hard to breath and hard to talk. So far I haven't noticed issues swallowing food or liquids. But a test that I did showed that stuff is getting stuck in my throat, I'm just not feeling it. My voice sometimes sounds like it's clogged and has a tendency to just give out especially in the afternoon and evening when I'm more fatigued. The ENT doctor said that my throat muscles aren't working correctly and seem weak but it's the nerves that aren't receiving the messages correctly and is the result of my MS. The last MRI didn't show any lesions in my neck or spinal cord but I did have a lot of new small lesions on the right side of my brain.

[Corran731]

Yes. I’m a musician and I really can’t sing anymore like I used too. My voice has lost most of its flexibility and range and people are constantly asking me to repeat myself because they can’t hear me. I don’t have any pain but if I speak for any length of time I start to lose my voice all together.

[Smithnova]

I do not believe it is uncommon. My neuro sent me to a speech therapist years ago. I was constantly choking on air, voice sometimes worked, sometimes not. Anyways, they stated it was due to MS. Gave me exercises to do with breathing and swallowing. They did not really help. I do miss singing the most, but I now focus on the lyrics more, been rather rewarding to focus on the message in a song. I have been blessed with great doctors who listen and try to encourage and understand. Talking to a speech therapist may be beneficial. Best of luck to you. And sing as little and long as you can.

[Tulip77]

I find that it most interferes with conversations. Even when I am making a concerted effort not to project to much and to not strain. I just loose my breath. I have to stop in the middle of a sentence to take a deep breath. I tend to talk fast, so I really have to slow it down and speak slower and just get to the point so that I can stop talking.

In the beginning, my voice would crack and just give out in the middle of a word. It rarely does that anymore, but I suspect that is because I conserve my voice much more.

When I saw the ENT in June, I told her that I was in the middle of being evaluated for MS or some sort of neurological issue and could this be related? She said that if I did have MS, then it would make sense that the muscles used to speak would get tired much faster.

[Tulip77]

Talking is affecting my breathing. Talking is causing irritation in my throat. Am I just supposed to never communicate verbally? I am so frustrated. I was on the phone with a client for maybe 5 minutes and could hardly finish the conversation.