VOICE

Your voice makes you unique!

Your voice reflects how you feel—whether you are tense, happy, excited, angry, or sad. The way your voice functions and sounds depends largely on how your vocal folds look and work.

How does the voice actually work?

When you exhale, air travels up through your throat, past your vocal folds, and out through your mouth and nose. When you speak, the vocal folds close as the air passes through them, causing vibrations and producing the unique sound of your voice. Your voice is the result of an amazing and complex interaction between several parts of the body, especially the lungs, larynx, and mouth.

Problems

When voice issues arise, speaking or singing becomes more difficult. Many people continue for years—sometimes 40 years—without becoming severely limited or disabled. But if you start avoiding giving presentations, having coffee with friends, going to the pub, or dining at restaurants, things have already gone too far and it’s time to seek help.

Hoarseness, a lump sensation, burning or throat pain, vocal fatigue, or difficulties controlling pitch, volume, or voice quality are all issues that a speech-language pathologist can help address.

What should you do?

You will need a referral for a vocal fold examination by an ENT doctor or a phoniatrician (a voice specialist). This examination shows whether your vocal folds function normally or if there is any damage. If no injury is visible, and no accident has occurred, your voice may be affected by habitual patterns that are wearing it out.

A speech-language pathologist will then assess your voice by listening to and analyzing how it sounds, and investigate how your voice problems relate to vocal demands, lifestyle, and medical factors. Voice therapy includes training in body awareness, breathing, and vocal function. In addition to the practical exercises, you will also talk about factors that may trigger or worsen the problems. Treatment is provided individually.

There are speech-language pathologists within the public healthcare system, or you can see a private clinician, such as Jessica.

Jessica not only provides treatment but also offers Vocal Technique courses with extensive information about the voice, which can be a great complement to voice therapy. Click here for more information.