Voice Disorders
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (part of the National Institutes of Health), about 7.5 million Americans have difficulty using their voices. The inability to use our voices effectively has the potential to have a major impact on personal relationships, careers, and the overall quality of our lives. Although many think that voice therapy is reserved for singers, actors, and broadcasters, in reality, virtually everyone can benefit from voice therapy to heal, manage, or prevent voice disorders at some point.
Your speech language pathologist will individualize a treatment plan to meet your goals. The first step of voice therapy is to assess the patient's voice production and voice quality and structure the therapeutic program accordingly. Often, SLPs consult with otolaryngologists and neurologists to ensure a proper diagnosis.
The goal of voice therapy is to improve vocal function and quality and implement exercises aimed at achieving vocal cord strength, endurance and flexibility. Voice is a balance of respiration, phonation and resonation.