Voice

Voice disorders, which may affect as much as 10% of the population, range from mild hoarseness, changes in pitch, low volume and/or breathiness, to aphonia, the complete loss of voice.

Both children and adults can suffer from a variety of voice disorders due to vocal misuse, or medical, physical or psychological factors.

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Evaluation

A voice evaluation begins with a thorough history of known medical conditions, traumatic events, medicines taken, diet, lifestyle including sports and hobbies, when the first symptoms appeared and factors that improve or worsen the symptoms. A perceptual evaluation will assess respiration, overuse of muscles, visible areas of tension, pitch , volume, quality of voice and the intonational pattern. At the end of the evaluation a therapy plan will be developed which may include a referral may be made to an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) to assess the vocal folds and identify any pathologies, such as vocal nodules, vibration of the vocal folds, the presence of reflux, allergies, etc.

Some conditions that may cause a voicing problem include:

Vocal nodules or polyps
Surgery
Vocal fold paresis or paralysis
Stroke
Cancer
Trauma
Medications
Diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and ALS
Huntington’s Chorea and Multiple Sclerosis
Excessive yelling
Singing
Vocal fold abuse

What can I do?

Treatment depends on the cause of the disorder. It may include techniques such as easy onset, deep breathing, muscular exercises, changes in pitch, relaxation exercises and education about vocal abuse, vocal hygiene. If a vocal pathology is suspected, the ENT may perform tests to directly look at the vocal folds, prescribe medications or injections, perform surgery. Close collaboration with the ENT will ensure all therapeutic exercises are safe for your condition.

Therapy

To achieve improved voice production, I implement proven therapeutic exercises, enhance vocal hygiene and teach compensatory strategies. When treating medically based voice disorders, such as vocal polyps, nodules or vocal fold paralysis, I collaborate with medical professionals to develop treatment plans that will optimize outcomes.

Speech Matters incorporates both direct and indirect treatment approaches to improve phonation, respiration and musculoskeletal function. I also address the physical, psychological and behavioral components which impact the voice. Techniques may include finding the correct pitch, improved respiratory support, easy onset, lower volume, increased use of the diaphragm, etc.

Get in touch!

I am proud to empower people to express themselves and find the voice inside. Let’s get started on your journey.