The sound of your voice is unique to you. Your specific voice is part of your identity, part of how people recognize you, and it plays a major role in communication. Often the voice and its role in everyday communication is taken for granted until something goes wrong.
Your voice is produced through a complex combination of muscle coordination and movement. Air flows up from the lungs into your larynx (voice box) located in your throat and then through your vocal folds (also referred to as vocal cords). The vocal folds vibrate in a wave-like motion to create sound.
A Voice Disorder occurs when the quality, pitch and/or loudness of the voice is compromised to the point of negatively impacting daily communication. Voice disorders can be Organic or Functional in nature.
Organic Voice Disorders:
- Structural - physical changes that affect the voice such as swelling of the vocal fold tissue (laryngitis), vocal nodules or changes related to aging, trauma to the larynx.
- Neurogenic - changes resulting from impacts to the nervous system and how the nerves “power” the voice (e.g. spasmodic dysphonia, vocal tremor, vocal fold paralysis, Parkinson’s disease).
Functional Voice Disorders:
- Result from improper or inefficient use of the voice such as vocal fatigue, too much muscle tension, excessive yelling or coughing or aphonia (losing your voice).
Signs and Symptoms of a Voice Disorder:
- Rough or raspy voice
- Breathy voice
- Strained or shaky voice
- Abnormal pitch or loudness
- Loss of voice
- Increased effort with speaking
- Variable vocal quality and reduced endurance when speaking
- Running out of breath
- Coughing or throat clearing frequently
- Tension, pain or tenderness around the larynx
Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement (PVFM)
PVFM is not technically a voice disorder, but is a condition that impacts how the vocal folds move during breathing and can impact the voice. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) use a combination of vocal exercises, relaxation techniques and breath management strategies to improve vocal fold movement and breath control.
Assessment and Treatment of Voice Disorders
An organic voice disorder is diagnosed by a doctor or ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist). They perform a variety of tests that may include imaging of the vocal folds and larynx as well as assessment of your breathing, vocal quality, and resonance.
Referral to a Speech-Language Pathologist may be recommended to help treat a voice disorder.
Voice Therapy may include:
- Establishing good vocal hygiene habits
- Lifestyle changes
- Relaxation techniques
- Vocal exercises to support volume, pitch and quality of voice
- Proper breathing techniques