The total indirect and direct cost of epilepsy in the United States is estimated to be $15.5 billion yearly. This estimate is based on a reported cost of $12.5 billion in 1995 converted to 2004 dollar value using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. 4.
Many patients with adductor type spasmodic dysphonia complain of physical fatigue, tightness of the neck, back, and shoulder muscles and shortness of breath due to their efforts to phonate through the closed glottis. The severity of the symptoms of adductor spasmodic dysphonia varies within and among individuals.
Spasmodic dysphonia/laryngeal dystonia, a focal dystonia, involves involuntary contractions of the vocal cords causing interruptions of speech and affecting the voice quality. One of the most characteristic features of spasmodic dysphonia is the patterned, repeated 'breaks' in speech.ymptoms of spasmodic dysphonia come in several varieties. Symptoms can be broadly divided into two forms: adductor and abductor. The more common adductor type causes a tight, 'strangled-sounding' voice quality, often with abrupt starting and stopping of the voice. The abductor type causes a breathy, whispering voice.