Laryngeal dystonia

Abstract

Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is a rare neurological disorder emerging in middle-aged persons as a chronic and disabling voice disorder. It is a focal dystonia affecting intrinsic laryngeal muscle control only during speech, resulting in voice breaks, effortful phonation, and strangled voice. Due to lack of awareness and lack of well-defined diagnostic criteria, it can be difficult for patients to be diagnosed and treated. This review, the first Danish publication on the subject of LD, presents the latest terminology, a brief history, treatment options and the psychosocial consequences of LD.