24/08/2025
The Power of Speech Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is widely recognized for its effects on movement - tremors, stiffness, and balance issues. But did you know it can also significantly impact on speech and communication?
Many people living with Parkinson’s experience speech difficulties such as:
🔴 Soft or hoarse speech
🔴 Reduced loudness
🔴 Slurred or mumbled words
🔴 Monotone voice (lacking pitch variation) and
🔴 Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
These challenges can affect confidence, relationships, and overall quality of life. That’s where speech therapy steps in.
Why Speech Therapy Matters:
✅Improves Voice Quality
People with Parkinson’s often speak more softly without realizing it. This happens because the disease affects the muscles that control voice and breath. Over time, their speech may become too quiet or hard to understand.
Speech therapy helps by practicing exercises to strengthen those muscles, increase vocal loudness and speak with a stronger, clearer voice through repeated practice.
✅ Enhances Clarity of Speech
Parkinson's can cause slurred or rushed speech due to changes in muscle coordination. This makes it harder for others to understand the person.
Speech therapists work on articulation by helping patients move their lips, tongue, and jaw more deliberately.
They also practice strategies to slow down speech, take proper pauses, and focus on clear pronunciation.
✅ Boosts Confidence and Social Connection
When speech becomes difficult, many people with Parkinson’s withdraw from conversations or avoid social situations altogether. This can lead to isolation, frustration, and even depression.
Improving communication through therapy and the partner training strategies introducing by the therapists help individuals feel more confident and stay socially connected, which is vital for emotional and mental well-being.
✅ Supports Safe Swallowing
Parkinson’s doesn’t just affect speech. It also weakens the muscles involved in swallowing. This can lead to choking, coughing while eating or drinking, or food going down the wrong pipe (aspiration) which is life threatening.
Speech language pathologists assess swallowing safety and practice exercises or techniques to make swallowing easier and safer, like posture changes, modified food textures or alternative methods .
It’s Never Too Early (or Too Late)
Even in the early stages of Parkinson’s, speech therapy can make a major difference. The sooner therapy begins, the better the outcomes.
If you or a loved one is navigating Parkinson’s, consider speaking to a speech language pathologist about starting a therapy plan.
Communication is more than talking - it’s connecting. And everyone deserves to be heard.
Call us for more details 0761 838484