VOICE TREATMENT AND THERAPY

Traditional voice therapy consists of two primary avenues: Vocal Hygiene and Voice Therapy.Vocal hygiene is a daily regimen to achieve and maintain a healthy voice. Vocal hygiene includes maintaining adequate hydration (6-8 glasses of water per day), minimizing exposure to noxious chemicals, no smoking of cigarettes, and the avoiding of excessive shouting, screaming or other loud voice use.Voice therapy is a behavioral intervention technique that makes use of vocal exercises, speaker awareness and proper postures and alignment when using the voice.

What does a voice pathologist actually do?

Services include laryngeal videostroboscopy (magnified “slow motion” imaging of the larynx) with differential diagnostic support and interpretation of laryngeal functioning as well as perceptual and objective voice assessment and treatment. Voice therapy is designed to improve vocal function and quality, including exercises for vocal fold strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination and balance of the sub-systems (respiration, phonation and resonation) needed for healthy voice production. The goals of any voice therapy program are to return the voice to normal or as near normal sounding as possible. Voice therapy is usually short term, 4-10 sessions, over a 6-8 week period. Length of therapy is determined by diagnosis, the condition of the vocal folds, vocal habits, motivation and compliance with the therapeutic program.

Behavioral Voice Therapy

Behavioral Voice Therapy consists of two main parts, Vocal hygiene and exercises, to change the biomechanics of voice production. Vocal hygiene is similar to dental hygiene, a daily program to keep the voice functioning at its highest level. Maintaining good nutrition and hydration is a key to vocal hygiene. Avoiding vocal abuse such as shouting, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and noxious chemicals are all part of vocal hygiene.

Voice therapy is a behavioral program to adjust the biomechanical forces that produce the sound of the voice. Exercises include breathing techniques, vocalizing exercises, proper placement of the vocal structures and adjustment of force or effort at the oset of the voice. Since hoarseness may evolve from various diagnoses, the type of therapy to use is determined by the diagnosis.

Hoarseness may occur due to a number of underlying causes:

Neoplastic Neurologic:

  • Vocal fold polyp Vocal fold paralysis (unilateral)
  • Vocal fold nodules Spasmodic dysphonia
  • Vocal fold granulomas Neuromuscular disorders such as
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Vocal fold papilloma Essential tremor
  • Reinke’s Edema
  • LAryngeal cancer Stroke (Cerebral vascular accident
  •  

Inflamatory

  • Gastroesophageal reflux
  • Laryngopharyngeal reflux
  • Post viral vagal neuropathy
  • Fungal laryngitis
  • Allergic laryngitis

Miscellalneous:

  • Voice misues
  • Muscle tension dysphonia
  • Vocal fold atrophy
  • Vocal fold scar/sulcus vacalis
  • Pharmcological side effects

Link: https://www.entandallergy.com/service/vas/voice-treatment-and-therapy#

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