Hi Kimnott,
I am sorry to hear of your partner’s stroke. I am a speech pathologist and can sympathise with the ongoing difficulties you have mentioned.
When was the trismus diagnosed and which specialists have been involved? Was this linked to the stroke? Trismus can be caused by a range of medical conditions with stroke being only one. The cause will impact the mode of treatment. I would encourage a specialist review to determine the most suitable therapy choice. Speech Pathology exercises may be recommended.
In terms of the vocal chord paralysis, was there an assessment by an Ear Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist ? When was this diagnosis made and what were the ENT’s recommendations for ongoing management? In some cases, they recommend a trial of speech pathology and can consider surgical options if appropriate.
If the coughing commenced after the ENT assessment or has worsened since, I would recommend an ENT review to determine the cause of the coughing. Does your partner have a history of reflux, asthma or allergies? These can sometimes trigger chronic coughing.
Please feel free to contact us at StrokeLine (1800 787 653, AEST) to chat about this further. I work on Thursdays and Fridays and my colleague Simone (an Occupational Therapist) works Mondays-Wednesdays.
Best Wishes,
Lisa (Speech Pathologist for StrokeLine)