Sleep apnea and slurred speech

After a night of unsatisfying rest due to sleep apnea you will most likely find yourself more than a little groggy.  No matter how much coffee you guzzle the daily effects of sleep apnea will be with you most of the day if not all of the day.  Memory loss and being slightly disoriented are 2 symptoms that will make the day less than productive. Something else that might be a problem is slurred speech.

According to the National library of Medicine slurred speech or Dysarthria is found in people that have “a nerve, brain, or muscle disorder makes it difficult to use or control the muscles of the mouth, tongue, larynx, or vocal cords, which make speech. The muscles may be weak or completely paralyzed, or it may be difficult for the muscles to work together.”

Slurred speech is often found in people who have had strokes, face or brain trauma or even dementia. Cerebral palsy and MS patients often have this disorder as well.

Is there a connection between sleep apnea and slurred speech?

This seems to make sense because sleep apnea patients usually have loose tissue in the back of the throat which in turn causes breathing to stop. Webmd.com has listed sleep apnea as something that could cause slurred speech also.

Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed

Thanks