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| Anyone with Onset After Rear-end Collision (Whiplash)? |  | ||
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Posted by: mshell ® 07/13/2009, 22:03:23 |
Hi,
I'm new here. My car was rear-ended 2 months ago. Within 6 hrs. afterwards (and after discharge from ER), my voice started to go -- laryngitis, then just a forced whisper. A scope at the University hospital nearby showed a separation between my vocal cords. I was diagnosed with Functional Aphonia or Muscle Tension Dystonia. I have a pre-exsisting Central Nervous System disorder. I believe the accident (caught totally off guard) worsened these symptoms. My voice is mostly breathy, but at other times more adductor. Now the Speech Therapist and my primary physician are calling my condition a "phychogenic" conversation disorder. They think it was brought on after the trauma of the accident. Has anyone had a similar experience? The accident was traumatic, I admit -- driver never saw me so never applied brakes, I never saw her so couldn't brake. The impact propelled my car 50 yards ahead of hers (a half a football field) before it came to an abrupt stop. There were no skid marks at all. For two weeks afterwards, I had had dreams, relived the accident, but all of this changed when I realized my car was considered totaled and I got a different car. Any thoughts on this -- psychogenic vs. neurological? Is this really the brain sending a wrong signal to the vocal cords? I feel spasms in my larynx and back of neck and sholders. Sometimes by evening, I feel like my neck just can't hold up my head. Getting frequent migraines and sleeping a lot - easily fatigued. I hope you hear back. Thanks. |
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| Re: Anyone with Onset After Rear-end Collision (Whiplash)? -- mshell | Top of thread | Archive | |
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Posted by: Mary Bifaro ® 07/14/2009, 11:31:43 |
I am sorry to hear about your car accident. I can only imagine how much distress it has caused you. Spasmodic Dysphonia is a neurological voice disorder. Researchers believe that improper signals are sent from the brain to the vocal cords producing muscle spasms that interfere with voice production. Although the cause of SD is unknown, there is anecdotal evidence which suggests that the beginning of symptoms can follow illnesses, head trauma, or a stressful event. Good luck to you. Mary Bifaro
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| Re: Re: Anyone with Onset After Rear-end Collision (Whiplash)? -- Mary Bifaro | Top of thread | Archive | |
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Posted by: mshell ® 07/14/2009, 12:31:43 |
So it is neurological. That makes sense to me. The word "psychogenic" sort of implied to me that there was a psychological trigger, perhaps. Thanks for your reply, Mary |
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| Re: Anyone with Onset After Rear-end Collision (Whiplash)? -- mshell | Top of thread | Archive | |
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Posted by: Karen68 ® 07/16/2009, 21:18:20 |
I have blamed allergies, degenerative arthritis in the C5-C6 vertebra and toxins I was exposed to. For years it felt like someone was pushing down on my head making my neck hurt. I thought that was causing the "bowed" vocal chords as part of my ABSD diagnosis. My maternal grandfather also had lost his voice around his mid to late fifties. There is suspicion there is a genetic factor. I recently had a remission period after I had to stop taking my allergy pills, Allegra because of changes in my insurance coverage. Within a few weeks my voice got stronger. My mother told me my cousin had the same experience with the allergy pills and her voice came back after stopping them. I haven't been as lucky as my "remission" would go away if I talked to much or on damp stormy days. While my voice is always worse towards evening, some days I wake up with little to no voice. Although, after I regained some of my voice above a whisper, I did injure my neck again in a car accident. I have two disc which have lost disc height and a bulge which is pressing on the same nerve that feeds the vocal chords. I also had thyroid disease and Synthyroid seemed to help my voice as the gland was also putting pressure on my vocal chords. After I had to stop working my voice did get stronger since I live alone and don't talk all day now but I still have SD, just not as bad some days. I wish I knew the answer. It was really nice when I was able to talk and be understood and I didn't have to write everything down, including food orders or point at a menu. I got my hopes up things would get better, just as I am now going back to the really bad voice I've had since 2003. Actually I was having some problems back to 2000 but it was only a day here and there. Very disappointed to lose my better voice for the same unknown reasons it got better. I've heard about such remissions from others. I wish they could find the true reason and effective cure. Botox didn't work for me and I had a bad reaction. Surgery was ruled out because of the bowed chords and I read the spasms would still exist and still need Botox. Modified by Karen68 at Thu, Jul 16, 2009, 21:20:55 |
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| Re: Re: Anyone with Onset After Rear-end Collision (Whiplash)? -- Karen68 | Top of thread | Archive | |
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Posted by: mshell ® 08/01/2009, 23:56:33 |
Karen, how were your disk problems identified -- by what test(s) and by what type of physician? I have had CT and MRI both normal. A Chiropractor did flexion and extension and identified compression particularly on extension (head going back). I have seen an ENT who diagnosed me with Muscle Tension Dysphonia with Glottal Chink and Hyperfunction. I wonder if an Orthopedic physician or Neurologist would be helpful in reassessing me. Instead of getting any better, I am worse now that I'm having Speech Therapy 2x/wk. My voice is more breathy and less audible. My throat gets sore -- rough and raw, and it fells like my lungs burn. Thanks - Michelle |
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