Aphasia

Aphasia Explained: What You Need to Know About Diagnosis and Treatment

Struggling with aphasia or know someone who is? Wondering what causes it and how it’s treated? Learn about the symptoms, types, and latest treatment options for aphasia from Pinnacle ENT.

Watching a loved one lose their ability to communicate can be heartbreaking. Aphasia, a disorder that disrupts the ability to understand and express language, is often at the root of these difficulties. At Pinnacle ENT, we focus on creating personalized treatment plans designed to help those suffering from aphasia improve.

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that impairs a person’s ability to read, write, or speak. It can vary in severity and manifest in different forms.

Types of Aphasia:

• Expressive Aphasia: Where patients struggle to say words or form sentences.

• Comprehensive Aphasia: Patients with this type of aphasia may speak in sentences that don’t make sense or contain incorrect words.
• Global Aphasia: A severe form of aphasia that involves difficulties in both forming words and sentences and comprehending what they are hearing.

Understanding the type of aphasia a person suffers from is essential for developing an effective treatment plan.

What Are the Symptoms of Aphasia?

The symptoms of aphasia can vary depending on the type and severity of the disorder.

Common Symptoms of Aphasia:

• Speaking or writing in incomplete sentences
• Using sentences that don’t make sense
• Substituting one word for another
• Using incorrect or unrecognizable words
• Struggling to understand conversations

These symptoms can significantly affect a person’s communication ability, making it critical to speak to our specialists for professional evaluation and treatment.

How Common is Aphasia?

Aphasia is very common. According to the National Aphasia Association, approximately 2 million people in the United States are living with aphasia, and nearly 180,000 people are diagnosed with the condition each year.

What Causes Aphasia?

The most common cause of aphasia is brain damage, which can result from a stroke, head injury, or other neurological conditions. The severity of the condition often can depend on the extent and the location of the brain affected.

How is Aphasia Treated?

Aphasia is typically treated through speech and language therapy, and the specific activities and strategies will depend on the patient’s needs and goals.

Treatment Options for Aphasia:

• Speech and Language Therapy: Patients engage in exercises to practice language skills and learn new ways of communicating.

• Group Therapy: This therapy encourages patients to practice communicating in a safe, social setting to improve their skills.

• Computer-Assisted Therapy: Uses technology to supplement traditional therapy techniques.

Family members are also often encouraged to participate in treatment to support the patient’s efforts outside therapy sessions. At Pinnacle ENT, we’ll work closely with your family to develop a personalized treatment plan and provide the support needed throughout recovery.

What New Treatments Are Under Consideration?

Research into new treatments for aphasia is ongoing. Current studies are exploring the use of medications to treat aphasia, though more research is needed before these treatments become more widely available.

Other areas of research include the use of advanced imaging to better understand how both healthy and damaged brains process language and the potential of noninvasive brain stimulation as a potential treatment option.

Living with aphasia can be an isolating experience, but you don’t have to face it alone. Whether you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms of aphasia, Pinnacle ENT can help. If you or someone you know is struggling with aphasia, contact us today to schedule an appointment and take the first step toward better communication.