Why can't I talk or swallow after a stroke?

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Medical Video: Speaking After a Stroke

Stroke often makes communication difficult. This is because some parts of the brain work together to allow us to talk and understand speech. Strokes that damage this important part cause speech disturbances.

Speech disorders are called aphasia or dysarthria. Dystarthria is difficulty when speaking because of a weak face, mouth and tongue or jaw. Aphasia is a matter of language. The most common types of aphasia are Wernicke and Broca.

What kind of stroke causes dysarthria?

Any stroke that makes the face, mouth, tongue or jaw weak or uncoordinated can cause dysarthria. Large cortical stroke, small white matter stroke, brainstem strokes, and all cerebellar strokes can cause dysarthria if it can weaken the muscles that control the mouth. People with dysarthria usually don't have problems understanding speech or reading and writing. Disartria often improves with speech therapy and can improve considerably with exercise. Stroke sufferers with dysarthria may also experience dysphagia, which is difficulty swallowing, because talking and swallowing are controlled by many of the same muscles.

What kind of stroke causes aphasia?

One side of the brain, often referred to as the dominant side, controls speech. The dominant side of your brain is the opposite side of your dominant hand. So if you are left-handed, your dominant side is the right side of the brain, and if you are right-handed, your dominant side is on the left side of your brain.

Usually, strokes that affect either the Wernicke or Broca section (the two main centers of speech on the dominant side of your brain), can interfere with speech. Broca's part is in the center of your brain and Wernicke is located lower and lower, closer to your ear. These two parts are part of the cerebral cortex, which is a part of the brain that is often associated with high-level thinking skills and is generally injured by 'big strokes.'

Broca's section allows you to speak more smoothly and easily. Strokes on Broca's part can make it difficult for you to produce sounds, as if stuttering and with abnormal speech.

The Wernicke section allows you to understand language. The stroke on Wernicke's part makes your speech full of obscure words, almost as if making you appear to be speaking another language. Stroke in Wernicke's part also makes it difficult for you to understand other people's words and written language.

Can this condition recover after a stroke?

Speech reduction can improve after a stroke. Speech rehabilitation and therapy are usually more successful for people with Broca's aphasia (problems with rhythm) than with Wernicke's aphasia (problem with language). Most right-handed dominant people who have aphasia after a stroke also experience some weakness in the right arm or right leg. Most left-handed people who have aphasia after a stroke have some weakness in the left arm or left leg.

What happens if I can't talk normally again?

Aphasia can certainly make life difficult. Sometimes, bilingual stroke sufferers with aphasia can communicate better with the language they learn in childhood than their second language. Some stroke sufferers who suffer from aphasia can learn to communicate through sign language or art. Aphasia and dysarthria can cause depression and isolation. Use the resources available for speech therapy and try to maximize communication through sign language, facial expressions, body language and drawing to reduce as many isolated feelings as possible.

What can I do if I treat patients with this condition?

If you live with stroke patients who have aphasia or dysarthria, this can be a challenge. Keep in mind that your loved ones often keep their own feelings and they don't know how to express them. Facial expressions and gestures can help with communication problems for sufferers of aphasia or dysarthria. Usually, stroke sufferers who suffer from aphasia or dysarthria can communicate well with someone who spends most of their time with them than with others. If that person is you, then it makes your job much more challenging because you will be the voice of the person you love, where he cannot express himself to anyone but you.

Why can't I talk or swallow after a stroke?
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