Speaking, swallowing, breathing
As the National MS Society (NMSS) explained, up to 40 percent of people with MS deal with speech problems. Some of these problems might include slurring, poor articulation, and volume control issues. These effects usually appear during relapses or tiredness.
There are also other speech problems that might be noticed in changes in voice pitch or quality, but also nasality, hoarseness, and breathiness. Speech problems could be caused by breathing difficulties because of weak or damaged nerves that are in charge of controlling the muscles in the chest.
Difficulty controlling these muscles that are involved in breathing can be one of the early signs of this disease, and they might worsen as MS progresses. It’s one of the rare complications of MS that can be overcome if the patient is willing to work with a respiratory therapist.
