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7 Proven Voice Therapy Techniques to Treat Adult Vocal Cord Disorders

August 10, 2024
Speech therapist demonstrating vocal exercises to a patient for improving voice quality and treating vocal cord disorders.

As a speech therapist, you may often receive referrals from physicians or laryngologists for patients with vocal cord disorders. Navigating such cases can be challenging and rewarding. Understanding vocal cord disorders and effective treatment techniques can enhance the practice’s outcomes and efficiency. 

The role of speech therapist extends beyond diagnosing and treating vocal cord disorders. They can also educate and motivate patients to seek early diagnoses and treatment. This ensures patients avoid severe complications and enhances their overall quality of life.  

This blog will delve into common vocal cord disorders in adults, effective voice therapy techniques, and its benefits to improve patient outcomes, and enhance overall efficiency!

Common Vocal Cord Disorders in Adults

Vocal cord disorders can be extremely disruptive to a patient’s quality of life. They affect various aspects of voice production and communication abilities. Hence, understanding these conditions can enable accuracy in diagnoses and tailored interventions. Some of the common vocal cord disorders in adults include:

Common Voice Cord Disorders
Description
Nodules and Polyps
  • Nodules occur due to repetition in phonotrauma, such as overusing or misusing vocal cords.
  • Polyps occur either from just a single episode of phonotrauma or via repetitions.

Vocal Cord Paralysis
  • Vocal cord paralysis occurs due to loss of muscle control in the larynx, disrupted nerve impulses, and paralyzed vocal cord muscles.  
  • It impairs speech and breathing while compromising airway protection.
Laryngitis
  • Inflammation or irritation of the larynx causes swelling of the vocal cords and distorts sound production. 
  • Laryngitis can be acute or chronic, often caused by temporary viral infections, although persistent hoarseness could indicate serious underlying medical conditions.
Spasmodic Dysphonia
  • Spasmodic dysphonia occurs due to involuntary spasms in laryngeal muscles, causing strained or strangled voice quality. 
  • It causes mild speech disruptions, or a complete inability to speak.

Voice Therapy Techniques

1. Vocal Exercises

  • Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) Exercises: The exercises focus on creating a partial obstruction in the vocal tract, for instance, humming through a straw. It helps in enhancing vocal cord function and reducing strain.
  • Sirens and Glides: Utilizing different patches can enable patients to improve vocal flexibility and coordination.
  • Pitch Glides: Smooth transition between high and low pitches enables pitch control and reduces vocal strain.

2. Breathing Techniques

  • Diaphragmatic Breathing: Involves utilization of the diaphragm for deeper, controlled breaths to support voice effectively and reduce potential tension.

  • Breath Control Exercises: The exercises help manage airflow and maintain consistency in vocal intensity.

3. Resonance Therapy

  • Forward Resonance Exercises: Vocal therapy techniques, such as buzzing or using nasal resonance, enable voice projection and enhance vocal quality. 

4. Posture and Alignment 

  • Body Alignment Exercises: These exercises help speech therapists ensure that the patient receives proper posture and body alignment, supporting efficient vocal production and reducing strain. 

5. Voice Modulation Techniques

  • Pitch Modulation: Speech therapists can train patients to vary their pitch smoothly and prevent monotone speech, reducing vocal fatigue.  

  • Volume Control: These techniques enable patients to adjust vocal volume appropriately for different situations.

6. Vocal Hygiene

  • Hydration: Therapists can emphasize the importance of keeping the vocal cords hydrated by drinking plenty of water. 

  • Avoiding Irritants: Patients should reduce exposure to irritants (smoke, excessive caffeine) as they can impact vocal health negatively. 

7. Relaxation Techniques 

  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This technique helps reduce overall body tension, positively impacting vocal tension.

  • Visualization: Therapists can encourage patients to use mental imagery, reducing vocal strain, and promoting a relaxed vocal production.

Benefits of Voice Therapy for Patients

  • Enhances Therapeutic Effectiveness: Implementation of voice therapy exercises enables speech therapists to achieve better results while restoring vocal function and addressing voice impairments. 

  • Strengthens Professional Skills: Therapists can develop and refine their skills while implementing various exercises and methods. It helps enhance their expertise in voice disorder treatment and professional proficiency.  

  • Promotes Patient Education: Educating patients regarding healthy voice usage and vocal hygiene benefits recovery effectively, and enhances the therapist’s role as an educator. 

  • Reduces Need for Surgery: Therapists can utilize non-invasive treatment options to reduce dependence on surgical intervention, potentially reducing complexity in cases needing surgical follow-up. 

  • Broadens Scope of Practice: Voice therapy provides speech therapists with a wider range of patients, such as those using voice extensively, to those with specific vocal issues. Such diversity enables therapists to expand their practice, increasing opportunities for client management. 

  • Enhances Practice Reputation: A successful voice therapy enhances practice reputation, leading to more referrals and a stronger presence in the professional community.

Conclusion

Voice therapy is a fundamental tool for speech therapy, as it offers effective solutions for various vocal cord disorders and enhances patient outcomes. Therapists can master techniques to improve their practice’s effectiveness, broaden their patient base, and elevate professional standing. Embracing these approaches helps enhance patient care and strengthens the therapist’s role as a crucial advocate for vocal health. 

Additionally, practice management software like TherapyPM can help speech therapists streamline daily administrative tasks, track patient progress, and provide quality care. What are you waiting for? Join our comprehensive practice management software today and start your free trial with us!