Yes, MS can affect speech in several ways. About 25-40% of people with MS experience speech problems. The most common issues include slurred speech, changes in voice quality, disrupted rhythm when speaking, nasal speech, and stuttering. These symptoms occur because MS can cause lesions in parts of the brain that control Show Full Answer
Yes, MS can affect speech in several ways. About 25-40% of people with MS experience speech problems. The most common issues include slurred speech, changes in voice quality, disrupted rhythm when speaking, nasal speech, and stuttering. These symptoms occur because MS can cause lesions in parts of the brain that control speech muscles.
Speech difficulties may come and go throughout the day or worsen when tired. As one MyMSTeam member shared, they experience more speech problems at night when fatigued, but find their speech returns to normal in the morning. Some people may experience "explosive speech" where they have trouble controlling their voice volume, or "scanning speech" which creates unusual pauses between words making speech sound robotic. Others might have trouble finding the right words to express themselves.
If you're experiencing speech changes, it's important to discuss this with your neurologist. They may refer you to a speech-language pathologist who can help identify problematic muscles and develop strategies to maintain clear communication.
April 11, 2025
Or not remembering things immediately but hours later it coming back to you
April 12, 2025
Yes, it also affects how you talk by causing stumbling over words, memory lapses, slips of the tongue and getting tongue-tied. It happens to me nearly every day, it's so frustrating.
April 12, 2025
Join
Your Privacy Choices
