Finding Your Voice Again: Understanding Voice Disorder Treatment Options
Your voice is such an expressive part of you — it communicates your thoughts, your emotions and your personality. But for some, this essential skill can be thwarted by any of a variety of conditions grouped under the rubric of voice disorders. When it’s ongoing hoarseness, vocal fatigue, or even a complete loss of voice, these problems can ruin your day.
To treat voice disorders efficiently, you need to know the underlying reason you are experiencing finding voice. Voice disorders may be functional (due to misuse or overuse of the voice), organic (resulting from an anatomic or neurological abnormality), or psychogenic (occurring as the result of emotional or psychological stress). Approaches may range from simple voice rest and therapy to more sophisticated medical or surgical procedures.
Understanding Voice Disorders: When Should You Seek Help?
Everyone’s voice changes from time to time — think after shouting at a game, or gabbing for hours. But if you have persistent symptoms of hoarseness or have a breathy or strained voice or even difficulty projecting your voice, it’s time to seek medical advice.
Though some of these are temporary and pass with rest, others can be a sign of a more serious condition. Long-term damage can result from an undiagnosed condition. Early assessment and prompt voice disorder treatment are significant for avoiding such complications. At Chase Lodge Hospital, our clinicians are trained to identify the subtlest sign and advise you on the best course of action for you.
Psychogenic Voice Disorders Treatment: Reconnecting Mind and Voice
Psychogenic voice disorders are due to psychological or emotional stress that make voice abnormal — at times for no apparent reason. People can lose their voice suddenly or become hoarse, talk with a whisper or experience pain when speaking – all even while they have healthy vocal cords.
Management of psychogenic disorders of the voice is a team effort. Initial management may involve voice retraining exercises with a speech-language therapist and psychological counselling targeting the emotional factors that triggered the inappropriate voice use. At Chase Lodge Hospital we take a whole person approach to rehabilitation and work alongside mental health professionals to ensure the patient feels confident and in control of their voice.
Neurological Voice Disorders Treatment: Managing Nerve-Related Issues
When voice difficulties are associated with the nervous system they are referred to as neurological voice disorders. Spasmodic dysphonia, vocal tremor, or vocal cord paralysis can be the result of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, or nerve damage.
A variety of approaches are also often combined in the treatment of neurological voice disorders. Injection of the botulinum toxin can reduce the spasm in the vocal muscles, while continued voice therapy assists patients in restoring clearer speech patterns. The treatment of the underlying neurological disorder is also important. Chase Lodge Hospital: Our ear, nose and throat consultants and neurologists work together to offer comprehensive long-term voice care.
The Role of Voice Therapy in Voice Disorders Treatment
Voice therapy is a primary management strategy for voice disorders. Therapy, which is provided by speech-language pathologists, centres on specialised exercises to help improve voice strength, reduce strain and aid in healing.
Watchful therapy includes teaching of hygiene, breathing, posture and voice safety. Consistent therapy will allow many patients to avoid surgery altogether. At Chase Lodge Hospital, our speech and voice therapists develop bespoke programmes that help patients take control of their own voice health for life.
Paediatric Voice Disorders Diagnosis and Treatment: Supporting Young Voices
Voice disorders do not discriminate children. Vocal nodules, misuse (screaming or throat clearing, for example) and congenital structural issues are some problems that frequently occur. These conditions can make you hard to hear and cause difficulties in class and confidence issues.
It is important to have a child appropriate evaluation and involve the family in management of paediatric voice disorders. Our paediatric therapists work with a variety of gentle, specialised techniques designed for patients of all ages. Treatment early can stop long-term problems with speaking and confident communication.
When Medical or Surgical Intervention Is Needed
Although most vocal problems can be treated effectively with therapy, there are those that may need medical or surgical management. This may include:
- Medication for swelling of the vocal cord.
- Botulinum toxin injections for spasmodic dysphonia: A review of experience with 100 patients
- Control of acid reflux if gastro-oesophageal reflux is inflaming the vocal cords
- Resection of nodules, cysts, or polyps if conservative therapy fails
They are performed under consultant ENT supervision. At Chase Lodge Hospital we focus on a multidisciplinary approach which provides a complete package of care before, during and after your treatment.
Prevention and Voice Care Tips
Prevention is a key ingredient in the treatment of voice disorders. Lifestyle Tips: Even just a few changes in lifestyle can save your voice-recording instrument:
- Keep drinking – Sip on water throughout the day.
- Refrain from yelling or whispering, the former because it pushes your voice and the latter, when done too loudly, due to the harsh sound.
- If you’ve been speaking or singing for a long period of time, rest your voice.
- Stop smoking and control acid reflux.
- Lower your stress by practising relaxation and mindfulness.
Taking regular follow up to a voice specialist or ENT consultant can help you in checking your progress and avoiding the future issues.
Conclusion
Voice disorders can be distressing — but they are also very treatable. Whether those causes are psychological, neurological or structural, the right blend of therapy, medical attention and adjustments to one’s lifestyle can be the difference between feeling miserable and feeling the way we should.
Do not overlook persistent alterations in your voice. Here at Chase Lodge Hospital, our highly experienced voice disorders specialists are ready to help you get the right voice disorders treatment and bring back your voice with confidence.
Schedule an appointment with our voice disorder experts to discover tailored treatment plans.
For more information, visit the ASHA Voice Disorders Resource, or call our clinic.
