Slurred Speech
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Jul 19, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
Worried about your symptoms?
Start the Slurred Speech test with our free AI Symptom Checker.
This will help us personalize your assessment.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Try one of these related symptoms.
Confusion
Disoriented
I can't think straight
Slurred speech
Left arm weakness
Weakness in left arm
Sudden speech problems in adults
Droopy face
Facial drooping
Speech problems
Weakness in arms
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Slurred Speech quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Speech is not smooth
- Can't speak clearly
- Speech not fluent
- Fluency disorder
- Dysphemia
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Slurred speech (dysarthria) is a general term that describes difficulty in pronouncing words, which can sound like mumbling, muttering, or speaking in a breathy or hoarse voice. Dysarthria is typically due to weakness or lack of coordination of the muscles that control parts of the face that are involved in producing speech (tongue, cheek, lips, or voice box). Dysarthria can be caused by destructive processes such as stroke, brain tumors, or brain trauma, as well as as Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, or myasthenia gravis. In other cases, dysarthria may be caused by intoxication with drugs or alcohol, lack of teeth (dentition), or poor fitting dentures.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Slurred speech
Possible Causes
Generally, Slurred speech can be related to:
- Cerebellar Tumor
These tumors are tumor found in the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain. They can cause increased intracranial pressure and headache, and difficulties with balance or coordination. They can arise from brain cells or they may have spread from a tumor found in another part of the body.
- Progressive Subcortical Vascular Encephalopathy
Progressive subcortical vascular encephalopathy (PSVE; also known as Binswanger disease) is a disorder in which patients develop worsening memory loss, mood changes, and gait imbalance due to cholesterol deposits and blockages in small blood vessels supplying the white matter and nerve cells (deep nuclei) under the surface of the brain. It is most common in elderly individuals with high blood pressure, active smoking, or history of stroke.
- Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy
Olive bridge cerebellar atrophy, also known as Olivopontocerebellar atrophy, is the degeneration of neurons in specific areas of the brain like the cerebellum, pons, and inferior olivary nucleus. It is a hereditary condition.
- Subacute Cerebellar Degeneration
- Sydenham Chorea
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Slurred speech may be related to these serious diseases:
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is often called a “mini stroke”. The symptoms of a TIA are similar to a stroke, but they don't last as long (from minutes up to 24 hours). TIA occurs when part of the brain's blood supply is temporarily cut off by a blood clot or fatty deposits in the blood vessel. There is no death of brain cells or permanent brain damage. TIA is a sign that there is a high risk for strokes in the future.
- Meningitis
- Cerebellar Hemorrhage / Infarction
- Encephalitis / Encephalopathy
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Is your speech slurred?
- How long have you had difficulty speaking clearly or pronouncing words this time?
- How has your difficulty speaking clearly changed over time?
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizFind Similar Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
Ambrosi D, Lee YT. Rehabilitation of swallowing disorders. In: Cifu DX, ed. Braddom's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3.
Kirshner HS. Dysarthria and apraxia of speech. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 14.
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
What People Say about Ubie?
Male, 30s
I got more answers in one minute through your site than I did in three hours with Google.
(Sep 29, 2024)
Male, 20s
My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
(Sep 27, 2024)
Male, 50s
The questions asked and possible causes seemed spot on, putting me at ease for a next-step solution.
(Sep 26, 2024)
Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizUbie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Our symptom checker AI is continuously refined with input from experienced physicians, empowering them to make more accurate diagnoses.
Ubie is recognized by healthcare and tech leaders
“World’s Best Digital
Health Companies”
Newsweek 2024
“Best With AI”
Google Play Best of 2023
“Best in Class”
Digital Health Awards 2023 (Quarterfinalist)
Which is the best Symptom Checker?
Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1