What are the Symptoms of Spasmodic Dysphonia? Nerve Disorders Behind Nadin Amizah's Voice Problems

Nadin Amizah (Photo: Instagram/@cakecaine)

JAKARTA - Singer Nadin Amizah revealed the current health condition. Through Instagram Story on his personal account, Nadin admitted that he was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia (spasmodic dysphonia), a disorder of the vocal cords that directly affects the way of singing.

In his confession, Nadin explained that this condition caused his vocal cords to become stiff and less flexible when closing and producing sound. Although he can still vibrate, the vocal cords do not work as flexibly as before. This change did not make him lose his voice completely, but it was significant enough to change his singing technique and comfort.

"My voice tape when I close and speak is straight and stiff. It vibrates, but it's not flexible. It's not to the point of not being able to speak or sing, but enough to make the way I sing change," wrote Nadin.

The singer of the song Rayuan Perempuan Gilaitu also revealed a number of complaints that he felt since experiencing the disorder. The tone of the song became easier to miss or false, the neck felt tired and painful even though he had only sung for a short time, to the production of excessive saliva while singing and difficult to swallow.

In addition, his vocal range is now narrower than before. The tones that he used to easily reach, now require more effort.

However, Nadin insists that she can still sing. But emotionally, this condition is not an easy thing to accept. Something that used to feel natural and light, like breathing, now turns into an activity that is exhausting, painful, and requires extra effort.

What is Spastic Dysphonia?

Disfonia spasmodik is a rare voice disorder that occurs due to involuntary muscle spasms in the vocal cords. This condition comes from a disruption of nerve signals in the brain, especially in the part that regulates automatic muscle movement. That's why, disfonia spasmodik is classified as one type of dystonia, a movement disorder that affects muscle control.

In people with spasmodic dysphonia, the vocal cords close too tightly or open when they should close. This can cause the voice to sound strained, weak, hoarse, or broken. Interestingly, this disorder is often more noticeable when speaking or singing, while laughing or whispering can sound more normal.

Spastic dysphonia is divided into several types. The most common type is adductor spasmodic dysphonia, where the vocal cords close too tightly so that the voice sounds choked, stiff, and hoarse. There is also abductor spasmodic dysphonia, which causes the voice to sound weak and windy because the vocal cords are difficult to close. In certain cases, sufferers can experience a combination of the two.

The symptoms that appear can be different for each person, but generally include a voice that is easily false, quickly tired when talking or singing, pain in the neck area, a trembling voice, and difficulty maintaining tone. Stress and fatigue often exacerbate this condition.

Until now, the exact cause of spasmodic dysphonia is not fully known. However, this disorder is believed to be related to abnormalities in the central nervous system. Genetic factors are also suspected to play a role, because some sufferers have a history of similar disorders in the family. In addition, this condition is more common in women than men and generally appears in adulthood.

Nadin Amizah's honest confession about her condition has received a lot of support from fans and fellow musicians. Her story opened the eyes of many people that voice disorders are not just a trivial problem, especially for those who make voice their main tool in working.

Despite facing physical and emotional challenges, Nadin showed that limitations are not the end of the journey. With proper treatment, therapy, and support, people with spasmodic dysphonia still have the opportunity to adapt and continue to work, albeit in a different way than before.