Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...
I notice that some of you say that you are loosing your voice. My husband's voice is softer than it used to be. He doesn't speak out like he should and sometimes I have to ask him to repeat things. The clinic nurse at the Motion Disorder Specialist office told him that if he speaks and it sounds like he is shouting in his head then he will be speaking in his normal voice.
He also is much more quiet than he used to be because when he speaks out in a group, he has problems finding certain words, so instead of trying to talk and make a conversation, he has just been sitting there and say nothing.
The doctor said that he shouldn't stop talking and try making conversation. He said to start with your wife and read the paper or magazine if you don't have anything at the moment to take about. He wants him to continue talking because he could loose the skill eventually.
My daughter said that she noticed that she had to prompt him more to talk, so I'm going to try that too.
I also told my husband to project his voice so we can hear him. It isn't that soft yet, butI know there is a big difference over the years. He's was diagnosed 4 years ago.
He also is much more quiet than he used to be because when he speaks out in a group, he has problems finding certain words, so instead of trying to talk and make a conversation, he has just been sitting there and say nothing.
The doctor said that he shouldn't stop talking and try making conversation. He said to start with your wife and read the paper or magazine if you don't have anything at the moment to take about. He wants him to continue talking because he could loose the skill eventually.
My daughter said that she noticed that she had to prompt him more to talk, so I'm going to try that too.
I also told my husband to project his voice so we can hear him. It isn't that soft yet, butI know there is a big difference over the years. He's was diagnosed 4 years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIdxYjGVV8&feature=player_embedded
And here is an article on both of them:
http://abcnewspapers.com/2011/03/18/parkinson%E2%80%99s-treatment-has-patients-living-big-and-loud/
And here is their web site:
http://www.lsvtglobal.com/
Has anyone done the LOUD program?
-mcfly
I sometimes have volume problems with my voice, where I'll be talking in full flow, then without warning my voice volume peters away to silence which is very embarrassing when there are a few people listening. I've had one or two sessions of Speech Therapy and the therapist said that once you get the breathing part right, the speech part falls into place... I recall that I was having breathing problems at that time too, & I'm softly spoken too, I'm a shallow breather, I must admit that I found getting the breathing part more difficult than the speech part but I got there in the end.
Maybe you could prompt him to talk about what he likes doing or any interests he has or hobbies like his fave sport,fave football or baseball team etc.... you never know.
The Doctor is right he needs to do as much for himself as he can, even if it's the simplest things because it'll get harder to do. He'll need a little encouragement.
I wish you well....
Yours Sincerely Dirky !!;O))x
I haven't noticed my voice getting any softer but I can completely relate to your husband's word finding difficulty.
Recently I've started to struggle recalling words, they're on the tip of my tongue but I just can't get them, then I started forgetting what I was saying mid-sentence and now I'm using an incorrect word that sounds similar.
It's not too bad when it's just my family, but it's very embarrassing in public, a group or with people I don't know. Becoming nervous only makes matters worse.
It's frustrating, I know what I want to say, but sometimes it's too jumbled up in my head to organise into the way I want to say it so I become tongue tied.
I thought this was just me, had no idea others had the same problem I know exactly what you mean Paula and CM.
I've been advised to sing (they obviously haven't heard me!) read aloud and give myself a minute to formulate what I want to say in my head first so I don't panic.
I think Dirky's suggestion of prompting him on his interests/hobbies would be good place to start and speech therapy is worth a try - it can't do any harm can it?
Best of luck
Juie
The buttons on pants are getting hard to do up when they are stiff, so that is another problem.