In an exclusive interview with ABC World News Tonight anchor Diane Sawyer, Linda Ronstadt reveals that she suspected she might have Parkinson’s Disease for the last 12 years.

In her interview with AARP, Ronstadt said she had suffered from Lyme Disease after she was bitten by a tick that she got from one of her cows. Other persons with Parkinson’s, such as Michael J. Fox, have also reported suffering from Lyme Disease after a tick bite and going on to develop Parkinson’s Disease.

Ronstadt explains the effects Parkinson’s has had on her singing voice and why it’s now left her unable to sing in public. She displays her characteristic humor and a courage few people knew she possessed.

Linda Ronstadt has been one of the most distinctive voices in popular music, from her time fronting the Stone Ponys in the Sixties, through her solo successes in the following decades, including the phenomenal Trio albums with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.

But now that voice has been silenced, at least when it comes to singing, because she has now revealed to the world that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

The revelation isn’t contained in Ronstadt’s new autobiography Simple Dreams , (published by SImon and Schuster and Free Press), because the official diagnosis wasn’t confirmed until months after the final submissions for the book. You can click here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451668724/ref=s9_simh_se_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=auto-no-results-center-1&pf_rd_r=10N60SZSTTFD96PGRVRD&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_p=1263465782&pf_rd_i=simple%20dreams%20lilnda%20ronstadt%20bio to purchase her book at Amazon.com. Read full story here: http://abled.com/2013/09/09/abledconditions-parkinsons-disease-linda-ronstadt/

From Wikipedia: ‘Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease result from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain; the cause of this cell death is unknown. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement-related; these include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking and gait. Later, thinking and behavioral problems may arise, with dementia commonly occurring in the advanced stages of the disease, whereas depression is the most common psychiatric symptom. Other symptoms include sensory, sleep and emotional problems. Parkinson’s disease is more common in older people, with most cases occurring after age 50.

Could voice therapy help Linda Ronstadt to sing again?

The Internet has been all abuzz about Ronstadt’s interview and many people in the field of Parkinson’s treatment and therapy have expressed sadness at her declaration that she can’t sing anymore. Many have wondered if she has tried vocal or singing therapy.

Linda Ronstadt only hints at problems with the ‘mechanics’ and the muscles involved with singing, and for someone who has been blessed with one of the most naturally beautiful voices in contemporary music, it’s got to be incredibly frustrating for her. Not to mention her demands on pitch, tone, vibrato and other technical elements of singing would be incredibly high, given her professional pedigree. So her assertion that she can no longer ‘sing a note’ may well be true.

Marsha Kogut, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech pathologist at New York Institute of Technology’s Adele Smithers Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center says most individuals with Parkinson’s disease exhibit symptoms of soft volume, hoarse and breathy vocal quality, monotone, imprecise articulation (perceived as mumbling) and other problems modifying their speech rates.

She says says individuals with Parkinson’s disease often find relief and success with certain intensive voice therapies.

Although Kogut is not familiar with the specifics of Ronstadt’s case and cannot speak directly on Ronstadt’s condition, she regularly treats individuals with Parkinson’s disease and has had favorable results, particularly with the use of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment program, an exercise-based behavioral program with a focus on the speech motor system. Kogut and her colleagues work with patients at the center, part of NYIT’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. The center’s guiding concept is to provide comprehensive care to help people improve and maintain quality of life while living with Parkinson’s disease.

LSVT trains individuals to target loudness as a way to trigger improvement of all systems and generalize them to daily communication.”

See also: Singer Linda Ronstadt Loses Her Voice, Diagnosed With Parkinson's http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6b2a1k

Read also: Should Lyme disease be added to the causes of vocal cord paralysis? http://danielcameronmd.com/lyme-disease-added-causes-vocal-cord-paralysis/

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