How many of you have had lyme-related voice problems?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- From the success stories I've read where this is mentioned,
an important point is that direct treatment for lyme / infection is the most important -- and can offer the best turn a round. That seems to be what has resolved issue of physical speech (& also word finding if that is involved, too).
Things below might help along the way.
Certainly pretty pronounced for me + 2 others I've known w/ TBD. I recall this hit me from out of the blue.
[Decades ago before the "other shoe dropped"]
I was used to speaking to medium sized groups in my job (and to classes) . . . but one day as I got up to give a presentation to an important group, just out of the blue I felt very ill and my voice just left me. Down to about 10% power from the day before.
There are some articles on the topic of voice effects. When you search you might also use the term "vocal"
There are various ways / reasons from lyme (and I also think the other TBD, too). Some neurological effects (whether at various "control junctions" or damage to nerve tissue itself. And some of what's going on is likely strength / muscle / lung related.
The topsy turvy storm that affects the sympathetic nervous system - and the other ones as well is very much connected. This is why I say that any coach must be LL to understand this and why this can't be pushed.
The "control junctions" are just kaput, is the only way I can really describe this.
I also think the adrenal dysfunction plays a part, too. But that is more after the loss like our body is on red alert and the stress hormone are sent to the moon.
And the tendency to be more sensitive to environmental chemicals / scents. Our nervous systems are the red-alert and as some point that can also clog up the "control junction box" that affects voice control.
I've not read this but it's been What my experience has been. Someone with cologne walks by and not only am I on the floor, I just can't even talk for the rest of the day.
From what I recall in some of what I've read . . . as a person recovers, the voice properties lost or affected can come back. Be careful not to force voice, though, or there can be vocal chord damage.
A LLMD might advise on a good speech therapist, not so much to get voice back to where it was (as that goal can be dangerous - patience is required until infection connection is more successful)
but for safety and the best posture, breath techniques to maximize our power and limit stress on vocal chords. But never push the voice if it's weak. Work with breathing but never power push the voice from the vocal chords themselves.
And breath / voice coach SHOULD be very much LL and TBD literate, too. This matters as if they are not, the techniques used may cause damage. A good reminder of how to maximize our power of breath / voice:
FELDENKRAIS technique can really help in round a bout ways, too.
Cranial Sacral therapy with someone trained in something gentle like UPLEDGER INSTITUTE technique - (never twist spine or neck, though as some methods do. With neuro lyme the spinal chord can be very inflamed and compromised. Twisting can damage).
Sometimes, there can be constrictions in the body and when these are eased out, our voice can ring out better, too. -
[ 03-10-2015, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Other stealth infections may be involved, too. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- There are better articles than the one below but I just wanted to give you something to start with.
This does not mention which cranial nerves but you might start with Wiki's page on cranial nerves and look to #6 & #7.
Sherr's article "Bell's Palsy of the Gut" likely has some connection here, too.
Dysphonic: Difficulty in speaking, usually evidenced by hoarseness
Unilateral recurrent nerve paralysis in suspected Lyme borreliosis. 1995 (Article in German. Authors listed at link.)
Abstract
Cranial nerve palsy can often be observed in Borrelia burgdorferi infection.
A dysphonic patient with a long lasting left-sided recurrent nerve palsy was treated with ceftriaxone, an antibiotic drug for the therapy of Lyme borreliosis.
On the 7th day of application the paretic vocal fold showed recovering movements up to regular vocal fold function and normal stroboscopic results. Clinical and serologic constellations and their therapeutical implications are discussed. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- In addition to a search for dysphonia, Borrelia -- there are few other key words. Just a quick look at one other term