Voices are different; some are high, some low, others are loud, and others quiet. However, if your voice develops an abnormal pitch or volume, you may need medical help. The Surprise facial plastic surgeon at Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat has years of experience diagnosing and treating voice disorders, restoring the ability to speak clearly.
What you should know about voice disorder
Voice disorders result from the change in your voice’s quality. It may sound hoarse, softer, or deeper than another typical individual of the same gender or age. Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists have years of experience treating throat, ear, and nose illnesses and voice issues with high success rates. Your treatment will rely on the trigger of your voice disorder, including drugs, therapy, or surgery in severe cases. Voice disorders are of two categories:
- Functional voice disorders
Functional voice disorders are often due to excessive or improper use of your voice, leading to muscle tension aphonia or dysphonia and vocal fatigue.
- Organic voice disorders
Organic voice disorders result from the natural structure of your vocal or larynx fold tissues. They can also occur due to neurological conditions. In most cases, there are no preventive measures for organic voice disorders.
Signature symptoms of voice disorders
Dysphonia is a broad term for several symptoms associated with voice disorders, such as vocal effort, vocal quality, loudness, or abnormal pitch. Symptoms signifying a voice disorder include shaky or tremulous voice, asthenia, aphonia, high volume, high pitch, and breathlessness. While seeking voice disorder treatment may improve some symptoms, other vocal symptoms may manifest due to your effort to compensate for the previous signs. The Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat team uses advanced technology to evaluate your voice and determine the root cause of your voice disorder. They may also analyze your medical history and conduct several tests for specific conditions to rule out other medical ailments that may interfere with your voice. Your provider may also examine your head, face, and neck as you speak or perform breathing exercises. Report any discomfort, scratchiness, or pain during the exam. The team may also recommend imaging tests to determine if your vocal cords are fully functional.
Available treatments for voice disorders
Your provider may recommend resting your voice if you have short-term voice disorders like hoarseness. You may also need to avoid singing, shouting, or straining your voice for a short while. If you have a complex voice disorder, you may need therapy. The speech-language therapists at the practice may educate you about the exercises and techniques you need to regulate your voice and communicate efficiently. For instance, they may suggest coordinating your breathing and keeping your vocal cords relaxed when speaking. They may also recommend conversation training therapy involving additional communication aspects like facial expressions and gestures. In severe cases, your physician may suggest surgery to correct your voice box muscles.
Call the Oasis Ear, Nose, and Throat office to explore more about voice disorders, or book your spot online today.
