Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that results from a neurological injury or condition, leading to weakened or paralysed muscles involved in speech. The underlying causes can include stroke, brain injury, tumours, certain neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease or Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease or conditions that cause facial paralysis. Consequently, people with dysarthria may speak slowly, slur their words, or sound nasally or strained.

Apollo Hospitals in Chennai provide comprehensive neurological healthcare, supported by talented dysarthria doctors. Our dysarthria specialists are committed to patient wellness and high-quality care.

Types of Dysarthria

The best dysarthria doctors have categorised this disease into several types based on the specific muscles affected:

• Flaccid Dysarthria: Caused due to damage in lower motor neurons or neuromuscular junction.

• Spastic Dysarthria: It occurs when bilateral upper motor neuron lesions are present.

• Ataxic Dysarthria: This is due to damage in the cerebellum and its pathways.

• Hypokinetic Dysarthria: This type is caused by a lesion in the basal ganglia control circuit.

• Hyperkinetic Dysarthria: It results from a lesion in the extrapyramidal tract.

• Mixed Dysarthria: This occurs when two or more types of dysarthria are apparent.

Symptoms of Dysarthria

According to the specialists for dysarthria, its symptoms can vary depending on the type and severity. The symptoms of dysarthria include:

• Slurred speech

• Slow talking speed

• Rapid talking speed that is hard to understand

• Nasal, raspy or strained voice

• Uneven volume

• Difficulty moving your tongue or facial muscles

• Monotone speech

Tests to Diagnose Dysarthria

At Apollo Hospitals, Chennai our best specialists for dysarthria implement various tests to diagnose the disease:

• Physical examination: Including a detailed neurological exam.

• Speech evaluation: It assesses the clarity and strength of speech.

• Imaging tests: Imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, create detailed images of your brain, head and neck that may help identify the cause of your speech problem.

• Blood tests: These can check for infections or other medical conditions that could be causing dysarthria.

Treatment or Surgery Options for Dysarthria at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai

The main goal of Dysarthria treatment is to enhance communication. Some of the treatments by our best speech disorder doctors include:

• Speech therapy: This helps improve articulation and speaking rate.

• Medication: May be used if the underlying cause is a medical condition.

• Assistive devices: Such as amplifiers or speech synthesis devices can be used when speech is hard to understand.