Asian Speech and Hearing Clinic provide state-of-the-art evaluation and management for patients with voice disorders. Our team of specialists includes both ENT Specialists and Speech Language Pathologists who have specialized training in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques with different voice disorders. Using a team approach, our experts are committed to providing the best possible care for people with voice disorders including laryngitis, vocal nodules, vocal polyps, and vocal cord paralysis, etc. We treat adults and children who use their voice professionally and for everyday activities. Our advanced training, skill and experience ensure you receive you the best possible treatment for your voice disorder. We improve your vocal hygiene with vocal exercises, and quickly return you to your daily and professional activities.
When there is a change in the voice (like hoarse or any other symptoms). The medical term dysphonia means a change in the voice, including hoarseness, and the similar term aphonia means complete loss of voice (usually reduction to a tiny whisper). It is absolutely essential to consult an ENT for further treatment.
The vocal cords (also called vocal folds) are smooth muscle tissue found in the larynx (voice box). The larynx is set in the neck at the top of the trachea (windpipe). The vocal cords vibrate and air passes through the cords from the lungs to produce the sound of your voice. The sound is then sent through the throat, nose, and mouth, giving the sound "resonance." The sound of each person's voice is determined by the size and shape of the vocal cords and the size and shape of the throat, nose, and mouth. Vocal cord disorders affect the vocal cords.
Puberphonia
Chorditis
Vocal fold nodules
Vocal fold cysts
Vocal cord paresis
Reinke's edema
Spasmodic dysphonia
Foreign accent syndrome
Bogart–Bacall syndrome
Laryngeal papillomatosis
Laryngitis
Case History
Self-Assessment
Oral-Peripheral Examination
Assessment of Respiration
Auditory-Perceptual Assessment
Subjective Assessment Based on Clinical Impressions of the SLP
Voice Quality
Instrumental Assessment
Laryngeal Imaging
Videolaryngostroboscopy
Acoustic Assessment
Aerodynamic Assessment
Diagnosis of a voice disorder;
Clinical description of the characteristics and severity of the disorder;
Statement of prognosis and recommendations for intervention;
Identification of appropriate treatment or management options; and
Referral to other professionals, as needed.
The three main treatments for voice disorders are:
Medical treatmentsEach type of treatment has specific indications and outcomes
Typically, voice disorders are addressed with a combination of treatment approaches. For example, patients with voice disorders caused by backflow of stomach fluids to the voice box (reflux laryngitis) may be treated with both anti-reflux medication and voice therapy. (For more information, see Reflux Laryngitis.)
In most cases, voice function can be improved or resolved with appropriate treatment. Identifying the Cause Is First Step to Effective Treatment As with treatment of any disease, accurate identification of the voice disorder’s cause is key to an effective treatment plan.
Advances in general medicine have also advanced treatment of voice disorders. For example:
New anti-reflux medicines provide effective medical treatment for reflux laryngitis. (For more information, see Reflux Laryngitis.)
Effective monitoring and treatment of low thyroid hormone levels help patients with voice disorders caused byhypothyroidism.
Advances in the use of botulinum toxin, type A as an injected medicine for muscle disorders provides a key treatment option for voice disorders caused by muscle spasm (spasmodic dysphonia). (For more information, see Spasmodic Dysphonia.)
Voice therapy is an important part of treatment for many voice disorders.
Voice therapy is designed to treat the most common underlying cause of voice disorders: voice misuse and abuse. (For more information, see Voice Therapy.)
Voice therapy is often combined with other treatment approaches.
Laryngologists often recommend voice therapy as first-line treatment for voice disorders in which voice misuse or abuse has contributed to long-term irritating injury to the vocal folds, resulting in lesions (such as vocal fold nodules, cysts or polyps). When a patient’s case is not complicated, voice therapy can help patients eliminate harmful voice habits through proper voice technique. Over time, voice therapy can make the lesions much smaller or go away completely. (For more information, see Vocal Fold Nodules, Polyps, Cysts, and Reactive Lesions.)
Voice therapy is also indicated when voice misuse or abuse results in vocal fold scarring. Although unable to remove scarring, voice therapy can prevent further worsening of vocal fold scar and/or can help patients gain some voice function with proper voice technique.
For patients who have had surgery to remove a vocal fold growth (cancerous or non-cancerous), voice therapy plays a key role in guiding recovery and rehabilitation of voice function. (For more information, see Voice Therapy.)
Surgical treatments of voice disorders have improved dramatically in recent years.
This improvement is due to dramatic changes in surgical techniques based on:
Better understanding of voice function (voice physiology)
Better understanding of the impact of voice disorders on voice function (voice pathophysiology)
Better surgical instrumentation
Better medical and voice therapies
Phonomicrosurgery: Surgical techniques that are performed with a microscope for viewing (microsurgical techniques) and are used to remove vocal fold lesions or abnormalities that hamper vocal fold vibration (For more information, see Phonomicrosurgery.)
Laryngeal framework surgery: Surgical manipulation of voice box framework that improves vocal fold closure, which is important for vocal fold vibration during speaking and singing
Injection augmentation: Surgical injection of fat or other substance to add bulk to vocal folds for better vocal fold closure (For more information, see Framework Surgery and Augmentation.)
