Staying Open-Minded About Your Healthcare

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn't know what I was going to do. After the devastation subsided, I decided to take a very standard, western approach to my healing. Although initial efforts were successful, my cancer recurred a few months later. I endured many additional months of treatment before I started focusing on myself. I decided it was time to incorporate complimentary alternative treatments into my healing regimen, including massage therapy. I can't even begin to tell you how much it changed my life. My healing became a process, instead of something I simply had to endure. I hope that the articles on my website can inspire you to stay open-minded about your own healthcare.

What Is Speech Pathology?

Health & Medical Blog

Speech pathology is a field of healthcare that deals with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders. Speech pathologists work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, who have difficulties with speech, language, or swallowing. Read on to learn more about speech pathology so you can determine if services are right for you or a loved one.

Who can provide speech pathology services?

Some speech pathology services are offered directly by a speech pathologist. Other times, you may receive speech pathology assessments or treatment from other providers, such as:

  • Audiologists
  • ENT specialists
  • Neurologists
  • Physical therapists
  • Psychologists

What conditions can speech pathology treat?

Speech pathology can help people with a wide range of speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Here are some examples:

  • Articulation disorders: difficulty making certain speech sounds correctly, such as lisps or whistling
  • Fluency disorders: involuntary repetition of words or syllables, such as stuttering
  • Resonance disorders: difficulty producing speech that is loud enough, clear enough, or has the right pitch
  • Voice disorders: problems with pitch, volume, or quality of voice
  • Language disorders: difficulty understanding others or expressing oneself, such as in people with aphasia
  • Swallowing disorders: difficulty swallowing, which can lead to choking or aspirating food or liquids into the lungs

Some patients decide to seek speech services after a stroke, brain injury, or diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or multiple sclerosis. However, speech pathology can help people of all ages who have difficulty communicating.

Why should you consider speech pathology services?

There are many reasons why you might want to consider speech pathology services for yourself or someone you care about. Here are some examples:

  • To improve speech clarity
  • To reduce stuttering
  • To improve language skills
  • To regain speech after a stroke or other brain injury
  • To improve swallowing function

If you're not sure whether speech pathology services are right for you, talk to your doctor. They can help you weigh the benefits and risks to make an informed decision about your health.

There are many different speech pathology services available, so it's important to find a provider that's a good fit for you. Once you've found a speech pathologist you're comfortable with, you can begin working on your communication goals. Over time, you may find it becomes easier to communicate with your loved ones, coworkers, and other people in your life.

To find out more, reach out to a clinic that provides speech pathology, such as Eastern Carolina ENT Head & Neck Surgery.

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2 August 2022