When oromandibular is combined with blepharospasm, it may be referred to as Meige's Syndrome. The symptoms usually begin between the ages of 40 and 70 years old and appear to be more common in women than in men. Oromandibular dystonia may be a continuous disorder that persists even during sleep, or it may be task-specific, occurring only during activities such as speaking or chewing. Difficulty in swallowing is a common aspect of oromandibular dystonia if the jaw is affected, and spasms in the tongue can also make it difficult to swallow. For causes, treatments, research information, etc.
Doctors recognize two types of spasmodic dysphonia.
In the more common adductor type, speaking causes abnormal involuntary excessive contraction of the muscles that bring the vocal cords together. This causes a tight voice quality, often with abrupt initiation and termination of voicing - resulting in a broken speech pattern and short breaks in speech. In the abductor type, there is an overcontraction of the muscles that separate the vocal cords, resulting in a breathy, whispering voice pattern. Three other sub-types of SD have been identified by clinicians. In a second subtype, SD symptoms are accompanied by a voice tremor.