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.
Shortness of breath. Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, is a feeling like one cannot breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity, and recommends evaluating dyspnea by assessing the intensity of the distinct sensations, the degree of distress involved, and its burden or impact on activities of daily living. Distinct sensations include effort/work, chest tightness, a