Voice

A voice disorder occurs when an individual’s vocal quality, pitch, volume and tone differ or are inappropriate for an individual’s age, gender, cultural background or location. These problems can arise from structural, neurological or psychological factors.

Voice disorders can occur in paediatric and adult populations. Individuals in specific professions may be more likely to experience voice problems such as teachers, singers or actors.

Causes: - Difficulty or abnormality in one or more of the following:

• Airflow of the respiratory system

• Laryngeal muscle

• Resonance of the pharynx, oral and nasal cavities

• Coordination of respiration, phonation and resonance

Signs and Symptoms

• Coughing or clearing your throat while talking

• Difficulty talking for a sustained period of time

• Higher or lower in pitch than usual

• Hoarse, husky, or croaky voice

• Tension in the neck or surrounding muscles

• Too soft to be heard easily

Common conditions that can cause voice disorders:

• Anxiety/depression

• Chronic stress disorder

• Oedema

• GERD- Gastroesophageal reflux disease

• Head and neck cancer

• Inflammation or trauma to the larynx

• Laryngitis

• Overuse due to excessive yelling, coughing, throat clearing

• Parkinson’s disease

• Spasmodic Dysphonia

• Vocal fold paresis or paralysis

• Vocal nodule or polyp

How can we help?

A speech pathologists’ role is to assess, diagnose and treat voice disorders. This can involve providing preventative information and education. Treatment will often involve establishing appropriate vocal hygiene, using a strength-based approach to treatment, improve self-awareness of voice quality, exercises/training and reduce further damage or impact to the voice mechanism/vocal quality.

On some occasions, the speech pathologist may refer the individual to another professional such as an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist (ENT), gastroenterologist, mental health professionals or vocal coaches.