Speech Problems and Difficulty Swallowing
Damage to the CNS and PNS caused by multiple sclerosis may lead to speech problems and difficulty breathing and swallowing. Functional issues with speaking and swallowing result from spasticity and poor coordination of the oropharyngeal and respiratory muscles.
About 40 percent of MS patients suffer from dysarthria or speech difficulties. Weak or injured nerves that regulate the muscles in the chest may lead to respiratory issues, leading to speech difficulties. Alterations in voice pitch or quality, nasality, hoarseness, and breathiness also indicate speech problems in MS patients. The lack of voluntary control over the muscles used in breathing may present very early in multiple sclerosis and deteriorate with time. A network of cranial nerves controls the swallowing process. These include problems with slurring, articulation, and loudness.
On the other hand, swallowing problems or dysphagia are less prevalent than speech issues but may have far more severe consequences. At least a quarter of people with MS experience dysphagia. Muscle weakness and loss of control may end up breathing in food or liquid, leading to severe respiratory infections like pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food or liquid enters the airway instead of the esophagus and may lead to dehydration, starvation, and lung damage.
