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Spasmodic dysphonia is a focal disorder that causes tiny spasms at the level of the vocal folds. The most common perceptual symptom is a tight/strained voice, although occasionally a person may exhibit spasms with an excessive breathy vocal quality. The disorder is believed to be neurologic in nature with stress and other environmental factors exacerbating symptoms. This disorder is most common in females with an average onset between the ages of 20 and 50. Although there is no cure for spasmodic dysphonia, injections of botulism toxin (botox) have been very effective in reducing or eliminating the spasms temporarily. Patients usually return for repeat injections every 3 to 6 months. In addition to botox, treatment by a speech pathologist has been shown to lengthen times between injections and further improve vocal quality.
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