Slurred Speech
Check your symptoms and
find possible causes with AI for free
Reviewed By:
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.
Please choose the symptom you are most concerned about.
It will help us optimise further questions for you.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Find another symptom
How Ubie can help you
With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Personalized Report
✔︎ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Learn More
Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
Poor word pronunciation, muttering, or a shift in speed or rhythm during a discussion are all symptoms of slurred speech or speech problems. Dysarthria is the medical name for speech impairments. Speech impairments can emerge gradually over time or as a result of a single occurrence such as medical conditions like stroke .
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Slurred speech
Possible causes
- Progressive subcortical vascular encephalopathy
Progressive subcortical vascular encephalopathy (PSVE) occurs due to fatty deposits and blood clot in the blood vessels that supply the white-matter and deep structures of the brain resulting in their damage. It's most common in elderly individuals, suffering from hypertension.
- Spasticity
Spasticity is abnormal muscle tightness due to prolonged muscle contraction. IIt is usually associated with damage to the spinal cord, brain or nerves.
- Alcohol dependence / delirium tremens
A condition where the patient is dependent on alcohol and will experience withdrawal symptoms if he/she does not have a drink. These withdrawal symptoms can be mild (e.g., irritation, sleeplessness) or severe (confusion, coma, and seizures).
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Related serious diseases
- Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder where brain activity becomes abnormal. This can cause seizures of varying lengths of time and severity. Epilepsy can affect people of any age and may occur due to genetic disorders or brain injury such as stroke.
- Hypothermia
- Cerebellar hemorrhage / infarction
- Transient Ischemic attack (TIA)
- Hypernatremia
- Cerebral infarction
Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom
Do you have slurred speech?
Do you have problems focusing or a reduced sense of awareness in your surroundings?
Do you have a fever?
Do you feel any numbness or change in sensation?
Do you feel any weakness in your arms or legs?
Other Related Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from the same body system / part
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
Reviewed By:
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.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD
Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)
National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan