Spasmodic Dysphonia

Paper Summary:

This paper is all about Spasmodic Dysphonia, in which the writer explores its history, types of the disorder, its symptoms, causes, diagnosis, current treatments and therapies and their efficacy, as well as the latest update on research for finding a cure.

From the Paper:

"Before proceeding further, let us look in greater detail what spasmodic dysphonia is. In the past, the voice disorder that is now called spasmodic dysphonia (SD), was considered to be a psychological problem. It was first recognized as a spastic form of nervous hoarseness by L. Traube in 1871. Most experts now agree on its definition as a focal form of dystonia, and it is believed to be a neurological/ physiological voice disorder rather than a psychological problem caused by involuntary muscle movements. It involves involuntary spasms of the vocal cords that cause interruptions of speech and affect the voice quality. ("Focal Forms of Dystonia," NSDA Web site). Dystonia, in turn, is a more general term used for any neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions, which can affect other parts of the body (besides the vocal cords) like the arms and legs, trunk, neck, eyelids, or face. ("Dystonia Defined.") Apart from SD, the other common types of dystonia are writers' cramp (involving the hand) and blepharospasm that involves rapid eye-blinking movements."

More papers on Spasmodic Dysphonia:

• Term Paper # 145647 : "Treating Abductor Spasmodic Dysphonia"
• Analytical Essay # 139937 : "Treatment of Muscle Tension Dysphonia - An Article Review"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: