What medical condition does Susan Collins have? We explore the health of the longstanding Maine Senator.
Sen. Susan Collins, 68, has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997. She is a member of the Republican party. Collins has been re-elected to the Senate four times over the past couple of decades, in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020.
Collins was born on 7 December 1952 in Caribou, Maine.
What medical condition does Susan Collins have?
It has been reported that Senator Susan Collins has spasmodic dysphonia, also known as laryngeal dystonia.
Followers of US politics have long been curious about Collins’ condition, given that she rarely speaks of it. Although it is now widely thought that Collins has spasmodic dysphonia, that hasn’t convinced all, with others fearing Collins might have Parkinson’s disease.
As Collins’ condition is primarily related to her voice box, it is more probable that her condition is spasmodic dysphonia.
What is spasmodic dysphonia?
Spasmodic dysphonia is a medical disorder in which the voice box or larynx muscles go into periods of spasm.
When spasming, the muscles create breaks or interruptions in the voice. The sound produced can also be strained or strangled, often making one difficult to understand.
According to Johns Hopkins: “Spasmodic dysphonia can cause problems ranging from trouble saying a word or two to being not able to talk at all.”
It is a lifelong condition which largely affects women, with symptoms starting in your 30s.
