Leslie Ferree Talford, MA CCC-SLP

Speech Made Easy

Voice Disorders

What causes voice disorders?  Voice disorders are often caused by swelling or nodules (growths) on one or both of the vocal cords. 

 

Causes

             - vocal abuse and misuse such as  yelling, excessive coughing, vocal strain,

               excessive talking, and excessive loudness

             - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - i.e., acid reflux

             - viral infection

             - surgical incubation

             - degenerative and neurological disease such as Parkinson’s, cranial nerve

               damage, and tumors

 

Possible Symptoms

             - hoarseness

             - vocal fatigue

             - breathiness

             - pain in throat when speaking and/or swallowing

             - limited vocal pitch and/or volume

             - frequent throat clearing

             - temporary loss of voice

             - shortness of breath

 

Treatment

             - Vocal therapy depends greatly on the cause of the voice disorder.  Clients will

               be encouraged to obtain a medical examination of their throat and vocal cords

               prior to beginning therapy.  Following this examination, treatment may

               include direct therapy or surgery.  Strategies and activities for home

               practice are imperative to the success of any treatments for a voice disorder.

 

 

- obtained from Hegde’s Pocket Guide Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology—2nd Edition

 

 

 

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