Breathing and swallowing share a common pathway, making the timing and co-ordination extremely important. Breathing is inhibited before and during the swallow, and this cessation of breathing is accomplished by closure of the vocal folds, that also serve as the last...
Dysphagia and Aphasia are sound alike medical terms and the symptoms sometimes occur in the same patient, particularly following a stroke, but while the meanings are quite different, the impact on quality of life is equally devastating for some people. Dysphagia,...
Drooling, can be an embarrassing and annoying problem for individuals with a neurodegenerative disease, and a fairly common complaint I hear from patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is: “I have too much saliva.” Whether the problem is one of excessive saliva or...
Better Hearing and Speech Month Each May, Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication and swallowing disorders and the role ASHA certified Speech-language Pathologists and Audiologists have in providing...
A swallowing problem which includes aspiration is a fear of many individuals with a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis such as Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or related disorders such as PSP or MSA. (pulmonary aspiration is defined as the entry of material (saliva,...
Dyskinesia (uncontrolled involuntary movements that can look like fidgeting or swaying of arms, legs, oral-facial, or trunk muscles) are unfortunately a common experience for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Dyskinesia are associated with long term use of...
