Valley ENT Voice Clinic
Diagnosis & Management of Voice Disorders: The Role of the Voice Care Team Many individuals, including children, develop voice disorders. Professional voice users, such as singers, teachers, aerobic instructors, coaches, cheerleaders, clergymen and others are at particular risk for developing voice disorders. Seasonal allergies, heartburn and chronic laryngitis often cause voice disorders in every-day talkers. The spectrum of voice disorders extends from hoarseness to nodules, polyps and cysts, as well as movement disorders, causes by paresis (weakness) or paralysis. Valley ENT is now providing diagnostic and treatment services for individuals with a wide variety of voice disorders. These clinical services are designed to diagnose, treat and prevent injury to the larynx. Individuals with a voice complaint are scheduled for a full diagnostic work up in our Voice Disorders Clinic. The voice care team consists of two board certified otolaryngologists, a doctoral level voice therapist trained in the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders and a speech language pathologist. The initial visit includes a full interview by our voice care team. The patient is first seen in our voice lab where acoustic and aerodynamic assessments of the voice are made. These provide information on the quality and function of the vocal folds and larynx. The patient is then examined in our state-ofthe- art assessment room where our otolaryngologists perform a videostroboscopic analysis of the individual’s vocal mechanism. During videostroboscopy, the voice care team can view the structure and function of the larynx during sustained phonations, speaking and singing. At that time, the team makes a diagnosis and determines a treatment plan. Treatment may include voice therapy, medications, therapeutic and /or surgery. Medical management often includes treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and allergies. Many of our patients are referred for voice therapy, which is performed in our office by our speech/language pathologists. This therapy includes educating the patients about the fundamentals of voice-use (including proper breathing and support), aspects of vocal hygiene and care of the voice, as well as techniques designed to improve the function and quality of the voice. In treatment, our voice therapists provide the patient with the knowledge and skills to prevent future occurrences of voice problems and maintain functional use of the voice. If surgery is required, the procedure is fully discussed with the patient by our otolaryngologists. The patient is scheduled to meet with a voice therapist for two to three preoperative sessions to introduce aspects of vocal hygiene, as well as provide instructions for pre-and post-operative care of the voice. The voice therapist also begins the first stages of voice therapy during these preoperative visits. After surgery, the patient continues voice therapy for a number of visits based on quality and function of the patient’s postsurgical voice. Voice is what makes us unique and distinguishes us from one another. Our quality of life, including the professional and social aspects of our lives is affected when our voices are altered due to overuse, misuse or injury of the vocal mechanism. Our voice care team at Valley ENT is trained to help restore healthy and functional voice, as well as prevent future voice problems for individuals across an entire life span. For additional information on this and all speech-language disorders go to The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.	Video stroboscopy machine Video stroboscopy involves looking at the voice box (larynx) using a rapidly flashing light (strobe light) that, in effect, allows us to view the VOCAL CORDS moving in "slow motion". In this way, the shape, vibration, and movement of the vocal cords in the voice box can be observed and recorded.