Voice is the essential element that enables people to communicate and socialise.
A significant percentage of the patients with voice disorders are people with so-called functional disorders. There are no organic changes in the larynx (e.g. vocal cord nodules, polyps, swellings), while the function is disturbed. This may lead to voice disorders.
The most severe form of functional voice disorders is a functional aphonia, i.e. complete loss of voice caused by abnormal functioning of the muscle of the larynx.
In typical functional voice disorders there are no organic changes in the larynx, while dysphonia that continues for a long time may lead to the formation of organic changes in the larynx. When the muscles of the larynx are overly tense, the larynx works with increased load, which leads to micro-injuries and may cause, for example, vocal cord nodules and swellings. Such changes may require surgical removal or long-term rehabilitation of the voice. The causes of functional dysphonia may be different, e.g. hormonal, drug-induced, they may be associated with metabolic diseases, disturbances in the ion concentration (e.g. calcium and magnesium) in the blood. An incorrect voice emission also is considered as a very common cause of vocal dysfunction.
Under regular conditions, the voice should be formed freely, effortlessly and with a soft voice attack, when the vocal folds should begin to close as soon as the air from the lungs reaches them. If they close too much and too early, the voice has a hard attack and makes an effortless impression. When the vocal folds are weakened and close too late, the voice is puffed, weak and humming.
Voice and speech rehabilitation
Voice rehabilitation is a very important element in the treatment of voice disorders, and in many cases the basic method of the treatment. During the examination of the patient with functional dysphonia, firstly the doctor excludes the factors that could contribute to the development of dysphonia (e.g. metabolic diseases, hormonal disorders), possibly ordering additional tests (e.g. tests of the concentration of hormones or ions in the blood, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, etc.). At the same time, the doctor observes the way the patient creates his voice. If he finds that the voice emission is incorrect, he orders and conducts voice rehabilitation, i.e. learning the correct voice emission along with exercises restoring the proper activity of the larynx muscles.
There are various methods that are being used in the rehabilitation of the voice. They present and teach how to breathe properly, train the voice attack, voice resonance and improve the functioning of the larynx as well as normalize the tone of the larynx muscles (manual techniques). It should be underlined that laryngeal manipulation should be performed only by a doctor, because the larynx is a very delicate organ and improper compression may be painful and even dangerous. Voice rehabilitation should be carried out systematically. After the training, the patient can do many exercises independently, at home. Usually, voice rehabilitation takes several months, but sometimes it may even take several years.
Who may benefit from voice rehabilitation?
Voice rehabilitation is the basic method of treatment in case of functional dysphonia, voice disorders among people who professionally use the voice (teachers, speakers, lecturers), among patients with organic changes (e.g. vocal nodules, edema changes) caused by abnormal voice emission. It is also recommended for the patients who have undergone microsurgery of the vocal folds.
Where do we provide voice rehabilitation?
We provide diagnostics of voice organ diseases and voice rehabilitation on an outpatient and inpatient basis. We also organize rehabilitation camps (enriched with the elements of balneotherapy) for the patients suffering from the voice disorders.
CENTER OF VOICE FOR PROFESSIONALS MEDINCUS OFFERS:
